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GLNTIANA FORTUNEl

THE FLORIST

AND

HORTICULTUEAL JOURNAL.

GENTIANA FORTUNEI.

GentianacGse § Gentianese. — Pentandria-Monogynia.

Charact. Gener. Calyx 5-4-partitus v. 5-4 fidus, huic dimidiato-spa~
thaceus, valvaris. Corolla marescens, aut infundibuliformis v. hypocrateri-
morpha v. rotata, aut clavata v. campanulata, rarius glandulifera, nuda
V. corona v. j??2'czs soepius exsertis aucta, foveis epipetalis destituta, limbo
5-4-partito (huic flore 6-8 mero) aut plicis spurie 10-partito. Stamina 5 v. 4,
corollas tubo inserta, filamentis basi sequalibus. Antherce incumbentes
V. erectse, huic in tubum connatse et extrorsum dehiscentes. Ovarium disco
spurio interrupto basilar! plerumque cinctum uiiiloculare, ovulis juxta sutu-
ram senatis. Stigmata 2, terminalia revoluta, aut si contigua infundibularia,
st;i/lo nullo aut cum infundibulo stigmatico stigmatibusve persistente. Capsula
bivalvis septicida, unilocularis, placentis membranaceis arese juxta saturam
extensse insertis. Semina placentis immersa.

Herbse scepius perennes, Jiahitu varice, caule recto v. ahhreviato, foliis oppo-
sitis, cyma racemiforma aut florihus terminalihus. Ludent huic floribus
4-7 meris.

Griseb. in DC. Prodromus IX, p. 85 (ubi species sub sectionibus 14 dis-
tributee.)

Charact. Specif. — " G. (§ Pneumonanthe), caulibus subcgespitosis erectis
V. adscendentibus, foliis lato-lanceolatis (infimis ovatis) 3-nerviis margine
scabris, floribus in axillis solitariis terminalihus glomeratis sessilibus, calycis
tubo campanulato laciniis 5 linearibus recurvis, corollse intense caerulese albo
maculatse apertge pentamerse lobis cordato-ovatis plicis brevibus insequaliter
3-dentatis vix exsertis, antheris liberis." Hook.

Gentiana Fortuni, Eooh, Bot. Mag. t. 4776 (hie iterata.)

Mr. Fortune's name is again given to a plant destined to become an
ornament to our gardens. This Gentian was introduced by this indefati-
1

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2 THE FLORIST AND

gable explorer, in 1849, to the nurseries of Messrs. Standish and Noble. It
is found in the north of China ; and, although it has flowered for the first
time in the greenhouse, (in December, 1853,) it is scarcely a doubt but that
it will prove hardy in our climate. The relationship manifested is with our
graceful Gentiana Pneumonanthe, and still more with the G. septemfida,
(figured in the Flore des Serres, vol. viii. tab. 765.) But, however, observes
Sir William Hooker, it is easily distinguished from this latter by its more
elevated shape, its more vigorous growth, its more distant leaves, its larger
flowers, and, above all, by the folds interposed between the lobes of its
corolla, which folds are simply three-toothed, instead of being cut into
numerous fringes. Let us hope that the beauty of this new comer shall
call the attention of amateurs to the whole genus, and direct towards the
difficult but not impossible cultivation of these lovely plants, such intelli-
gent efforts as shall be crowned with success.

J. E. Planch ON,

in ^^ Flore des Serres."

A PLEA FOR FERNS AND MOSSES.

"Ferns and their allies" have long been a favorite class of plants with
us. True, you will say they are destitute of conspicuous flowers ; but, then,
their exceedingly graceful habit, and delicate green colored foliage, amply
compensate for this apparent loss ; for it is not a real one, many of the
fern tribe having fructifications of, to say nothing else, great curiosity.
What a grand effect has a complete collection of these interesting plants,
from the most gigantic Tree Fern of New Holland, to the most puny Lyco-
pod! Like all other natural families of plants, to be done to perfection,
they require a house to themselves, or nearly so, say a span-roofed house,
with a glass division, the one for tropical, the other for temperate speci-
mens. To be seen to the best advantage, a mass of artifical rock work in
the place of a stage, with here a little pool of water, there a sparkling jet
or fountain, with the drooping ferns and Lycopods hanging over the edges.
Amongst this rock should be inserted promiscuously, and without seeming
intention, large distorted, gnarly, half-decayed, tree stumps : into the cavi-
ties of these, a host of the most lovely would find an appropriate home.
The Elks-Horn Fern [Acrostichum alcicorne) would here look beautifully,
clasping the old stump, and sending up its singularly shaped fronds. The
beautiful Hare's-foot Fern, {Bavalia canariensis,) would extend its Hare's-
foot-like creeping Rhizoma, and form a striking contrast, besides number-

5 8 5 9.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 3

less others from all parts of the world, Lycopodiacese would form the car-
pet or undergrowth of this ideal Fernery. L. denticulatum, L. ccesium, are
both admirably adapted for this purpose. In the tropical department, the
striking L. c. arboreum, towering to the top with its blue titit and moss-like
appearance, would have a pleasing effect. As ferns and mosses almost,
without exception, love shade, we would plant here and there a large single
stemmed plant of rare size and shape. The contrast would be agreeable,
and in perfect harmony. Those only should be selected of a natural
spreading head. There are a variety of plants that would associate well
with these, especially those grown for their curiosity, rather than flowers.

To descend from our supposed house, to more every day affairs. There
is plenty of room, in every hothouse or greenhouse, for a portion of these.
If you have a naked piece of soil under the stage, or around the paths, what
looks nicer than to have it covered with Lyeopodium denticulatum and
ccesium — in green or hothouse, they will grow alike. If a few hanging
baskets are suspended from the rafters of your house, and every one should
have a few, it may have in it a choice orchid, Hoya Bella, or other plant,
this is just the thing you want ; place in a few small pieces of the moss,
and it will soon spread over the whole, forming a living green basket ;
while it acts, at the same time, as a never-failing hygrometer, indicating
when water is wanting, besides preventing undue evaporation.

For green for the bouquet, too, many are exceedingly useful. Take the
wedged-leaved Maidenhair, {Adiantum acuneatum,) or the true Maiden-
hair, [A. capillus veneris,) for instance ; search the whole vegetable king-
dom, you can hardly find more delicately beautiful material for the purpose,
especially for the outside of small table bouquets. They have the addi-
tional good quality of being always in season, and you " may cut and come
again ;" in fact, they are just the thing that every collection of plants
should have some specimens of. We should be sorry to be without the fol-
lowing : Lf/copodium denticulatum, ccesium, e. arboreum, depressum, stolo-
niferum, Wildenovii, and umbrosum, and Adiantum acimeatum, even for
utility's sake.

One feature in connection with the tribe is, that they are easily grown.
The roots of the Ferns are very small, and should have an open porous
material to permeate in, and abundant white sand added to the soil, to keep
it so ; pieces of broken pot and charcoal should be mixed with the soil, for
the same purpose. In potting, the plants will be found to do better, if the
crown of the plant is raised an inch or so above the top of the pot. When
growing, most of them are fond of plenty of water, especially sprinkled over

4 THE FLORIST AND

the fronds. Some sorts continue thromng up young fronds throughout the

year ; others are periodical in this respect, and require a season of rest :

that is, partial suspension of watering. The Aerostichum alcieorne, and

stemaria, will readily cling and grow to a flat piece of board, if held to it

at first by a piece of wire ; in the stove, this is a curious way to grow

them. In fact, a variety of ways might be devised, in which these neglected

plants might be made to add beauty to the green or hothouse. For soil,

an equal mixture of very fibry loam and peat will be found suitable, with

the additions recommended above. But perhaps enough has been said on

this (to many) dry subject, so that the sooner it is done the better. If it

gets admitted by the Editor, a "hobby" will have been ridden by a "friend

to the family."

Edgar Sandess.

NYMPH^A C^RULEA.-

At the December meeting of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society,
Mr. Cope's gardener exhibited a leaf and flower of Nym'phcea ccerulea. We
consider it worthy of especial mention, as not so much attention is given to
the cultivation of aquatics as should be. Since the introduction of the
Victoria into England, the interest felt in these plants has been increasing,
and the collections have been increased not only by introduction of new
species, especially from New Holland, but also by hybrids, of which the
most remarkable perhaps are the JSfymphcea Devoniana of Paxton, and the
Nymphcea Ortgiesiana of Van Houtte's gardens. We have in our own
neighborhood two of the most beautiful species, the Nymphcea odorata, the
sweet-scented white water lily, and the Nelumhium luteum, or water Chin-
quapin, so called from the appearance of its seed. This last, from its large
size and deep color, is a very ornamental plant; and I have been told
of its covering a half mile of the low grounds overflowed by our western
rivers.

Mr. Cope, who first grew the Victoria in this country, has since procured
the Nelumhium speeiosum from India, a species resembling our N. luteum,
but of a deep pink color. This proved hardy last winter, growing in an
open tank with its native congener. The Nymphcea ccerulea is a still more
recent introduction ; that is, its introduction to cultivation in this country.
' It was described by Savigny in 1802. The flowers are three to four inches
in diameter, with twelve to twenty petals, which are white at the base and
deep blue above.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 5

Dr. Planchon, in the seventh volume of the Flore des Serres, gives an
interesting account of this and two other Egyptian plants, of "which we
have made a translation below.

"We will endeavor to give an account of the history of the Egyptian
Lotus, a history for a long time obscured by the errors of modern commen-
tators, better versed in the study of languages than in that of natural his-
tory, and completely elucidated by Savigny and Delile, two members of the
scientific commission of the celebrated expedition to Egypt.

Without speaking of the Lotus of Homer, which Desfontaines thought
he could identify with a species of Jujube {Ziziphus Lotus), three plants of
the family of Nymphseacese have borne among the ancients the name of
Lotus. These are :

1st. The Nym'phijRa Lotus of Linnseus, a species which must pass for the
Lotus par excellence, because it is this which Herodotus and Theophrastus
have so designated. These authors have characterized it in a sufficiently
evident manner by the white color of its flowers, which they compare to
the lily, by the alimentary use of its root-shaped tubercle, {corsion of the
Greeks,) and by its little seeds, like those of Millet.

This species is still very common in the waters of Lower Egypt, and
became the type of a special section [Lotus DC.) in the genus Nenuphar,
and very near to the NympTicea dentata (Flore des Serres, tab. 627-8.)
Leaves, with sharpened and prickly teeth, and very prominent netted veins,
and white flowers with anthers, without appendage, easily distinguish it
from the following.

2d. The Nymphcea ccerulea. ■ For a long time not well-known to botanists,
this species was described by Savigny, at the commencement of the present
century. Herodotus, Theophrastus, Pliny, and most of the ancient authors
make no mention of it. Anthen^us only, according to the observation of
the late Prof. Delile, signalized it as the blue Lotus, of which were made
the crowns called lotines: while they called Antinoiens, those made of the
flowers of the red Lotus [Nelumhium speciosum). This blue Lotus of
Athenseus, the type of the section Cyanea of the Nenuphars, abounds still
in our days, in the same localities as the white Lotus. The Arabs call it
especially Baclienin, reserving for the true Lotus the name of Kaufar:
they designate both by the epithet oi arais el Nil (spouses of the Nile), a
graceful symbolical expression, which makes allusion to the connection
observed between the appearance of these flowers and the inundations
which fertilize Egj^pt.

" The Egyptians gather the roots of the Lotus when the Nile retires

6 THE FLORIST AND

from the land. At present they gather them rarely, but they multiply so
in the ricefields, that the inhabitants are obliged to root them up, after the
gathering of the rice. Besides, they sometimes eat these roots, which they
call Biaro. I have seen them sold in the market. I tasted them, and found
in their taste nothing disagreeable. These roots (rhizomes) are rounded, or
slightly oblong, and less thick than an ordinary egg. The bark is black
and coriaceous. The interior is white and farinaceous, yellowish towards
the centre. The Egyptians, to gather the seeds, wash them, after having
rotted the bark of the fruit. I have heard the inhabitants call them
Dochn el hachenin, that is, seed of Bachenin, but they told me that these
seeds were of little use."*

These two Lotus are, as well as the following, frequently represented on
the monuments of the Egyptians ; and it is from having confounded the
fruit (figured on the medallions), with that of the Poppy, that most authors
have made this latter plant one of the attributes of Isis ; an error which,
at the same time, both the resemblance of the fruits in question with those
of the Papaver, arid the fact that Poppies were really one of the attributes
of Ceres, the Isis of Greece, explain.

3d. The Nelumhium speciosum. This admirable plant, clearly desig-
nated by Herodotus as a Lily of the Nile, resembling roses, is called by
Athenseus Red Lotus and Egyptian bean. It is also under the name
of Bean, that Theophrastus has left this most remarkable description. It
is thought that this is the bean which Pythagoras forbid his disciples
to use.

Although very much spread in the Nile at the time these ancient authors
lived, although figured in the most distinct manner on the monuments of
Egypt, the red Lotus has completely disappeared from this country. It
inhabits in abundance all the warm regions of Asia. Its characters are
so manifestly distinct from those of the true NympJicea, that it appears
superfluous to establish a contrast between this Lotus and the preceding
ones. Let us return rather to the Nymphcea ccerulea.

Tubercles of this beautiful plant, brought from Egypt by the late Prof.
Delile, and kept two years without being planted, retained, nevertheless,
sufficient vitality to vegetate, when placed in the warm vase in the garden
of the Museum of Paris. They produced flowers there in July, 1801.
Since then, without doubt, the plant has remained an acquisition to our
gardens, where its beauty merits a distinguished place. We must observe,

* Delile, in Ann. du Mus. I. p. 380-1.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 7

however, that the flowers in the figure are much under the dimensions
which they attain, on examples planted in open ground in a large basin.
We have some under our eyes measuring at least fifteen centimetres in
diameter ; they exhale a sweet odor, a little less strong than that of
Nymphcea seutifolia.

ON THE CULTURE OF FUCHSIA SERRATIFOLIA.

As the above noble plant is pre-eminently a winter flovfering one, we
cannot do better than commence this series, by giving a few outlines
respecting its culture. In its native country, (Peru,) this species grows to
a small sized tree, and being a free grower, under good management may
soon be formed into good sized plants. Its utility as a means of getting
flowers in the dreary months of winter, has already caused it to be widely
known, and but few collections can be found without it. But as it furnishes
its flowers freely, that attention is not generally paid it, which its great
merit deserves. As quantity of flowers increase with age in this plant, a
" specimen" plant should be as much aimed at in this, as any of what are
termed hardwooded plants.

For this purpose, a single stem with a bushy head of any height, from
one to six feet, is the preferable method, then the head being formed, it only
requires to be cut hard back each year, as in ordinary plants. As the
flowers are drooping, this method shows them to the best advantage. For
this purpose, cuttings may be struck at any season of the year, (but Febru-
ary is the best month,) with the assistance of a little bottom heat. Before
inserting the cuttings, any eye likely to push below the soil should be taken
out, as it is very apt to throw out suckers, which are often annoying in old
plants. As soon as the cuttings are well rooted, pot ofi" into three in pots,
and place them in some moist growing atmosphere ; an early started vinery
is an excellent place for them. Shift rather liberally into larger pots,
until the height wished for is obtained, after which potting should not be
done, except the pot be well filled with roots. A nine inch pot is large
enough for this mode of growing the first season.

All laterals that show themselves should be finished out to the first eye,
till the height wished for is obtained. It should be stopped at this point,
and the three or four eyes at the top allowed to break to form the head.

8 THE FLORIST AND

As it Is desirable to encourage tlie growth of the stem as much as possible,
so as to be able to support the head without staking, the foliage should be
left on, and the foliage on the pinched shoots also, for the same purpose.
About the middle of May the plants should be transferred to the green-
house, preparatory to placing them out of doors at the end of the month.
As solidity in the wood is desirable, when out of doors, they should be
plunged to the rim fully exposed to the sun. But little more attention will
be required during summer, than careful watering, and stopping the shoots
every third eye, no potting being "done after this time. By the beginning
of September they should be lifted, any worms that may have crept into the
pots, ejected by means of a little liiiie water, some of the top soil taken off
and replenished with new, and placed in the greenhouse where they will
soon commence flowering.

In the spring they should be cut back within two or three inches of the
stem, a little o^ the old soil shaken from the roots, and repotted into two
sizes larger pot. After cutting back they might be placed into a little
warmth, till they break, when they may be turned out of doors and treated
as in the first season. This being all the treatment they will require from
year to year. When flowering, occasional weak manure waterings will
assist them.

As plants treated this way are intended for ultimate effect, as many
flowers will not be produced the first season as by the following method ;
which is recommended till the others get established, and for those just
forming a collection of plants. Strike cuttings as recommended above,
except the taking out the bottom eyes, which in this case are an assistance ;
treat as before recommended, but pinch out the centre every three or four
inches. By the end of May nice little plants will have been obtained 5
which should be planted in a moderately rich border. Continue the pinch-
ing of the shoots, and tie out occassionally to keep them from crowding
each other. Early in September carefully take up the plants, and pot into
moderate sized pots, according to the growth they have made, and place
them in a pit or frame kept moist, for a fortnight, to recover themselves.
Plants treated thus, will make good sized bushes the first season, and pro-
duce a large quantity of flowers. By the second season the standards will
make large plants and except for variety, there will be no need of growing
others than these for the future. The much neglected Fuchsia corymbi-
flora, trained to a stem six feet high with a bushy head, secured in the way
recommended above, forms a magnificent object. For soil, nothing suits

HORTICULTUEAL JOURNAL. 9

the Fuclisia better than turfy loam, the first two or three inches of an old
pasture of a light nature, three parts, to one of decayed horse or what is
better, cow dung, with sand sufficient added to make the whole porous.

TiLGATE.

CULTURE OF THE APPLE.

When I undertook to give you a short sketch of my practice and obser-
vations on peach culture, for your No. 11, it was my intention to rest on
my pen and take a long breath, before I again exercised myself in that line.
I did not think I could give much information not already known to peach
growers, — and indeed, my principal aim was to encourage other practical
men to give in turn their experience and ideas, that I might learn myself
how far to improve by their practice. You, however, deem, and probably
with much justice, that amongst your readers there are. hundreds of novices
— new beginners in the delightful art of Gardening — to whom the experi-
ence of those who have passed over the track continually for so many years,
never comes unacceptable, — to these therefore, I submit a few remarks on
an equally valuable, but now no less unfortunate fruit ; the Apple.

It was a pleasantly sad sight to a resident in the eastern district of Pennsyl-
vania, to see such a magnificent display of apples as the Philadelphia markets
have exposed this fall, and yet to learn at the same time, that his fatal
locality could claim no share in its exhibition. However much he might
strive to comfort himself with the fact that the failure here this season is
to be attributed entirely to the very unusually late spring frost ; there would
still remain the lurking impression, that in no season do our crops equal
those of Ohio, western New York, or other favored spots ; or even come up
to our recollections of long past experience, or the traditions of our fore-
fathers in our own district. Is it a fact, that other climates and other soils
are more favorable than our own ? Or that there has been any change in
our climate or soil that should render apples less easily grown here now
than formerly ?

Certain it is, that in former years apples were produced in eastern Penn-
sylvania in the greatest abundance;, and may almost be considered as having
been one of its staple crops. Wherever we turn a few miles from the city
of Philadelphia, we may see acres of venerable, but now barren trees ; and
cider presses in every desirable corner. In our own times also, we have

10 THE FLORIST AND

seen the trees witli their branches almost ready to break off beneath their
heavy burdens of Baldwin's, Pennocks, and Bellefleurs; a sight seldom
vouchsafed to us now-a-days. In what we consider a good apple season,
the Cider Apple, Newtown Pippin, Grindstone, Maiden's Blush, and Rhode
Island Greening, seem almost alone to be depended on for anything like an
approach to the crops of former years.

Most of our former popular kinds in a good season, will perhaps give us
a few score of fine fruit in lieu of their former bushels — as the Bellefleur
and Sheep Nose ; while others, if they do bear a tolerable number of large
fruit, as the Pennock or Hay Apple, present them to us half rotten before
they are fully ripe. These peculiarities do not seem to depend on the age
of the trees, as young thrifty orchards present the same results ; nor on the
wearing out of the soil, as the newer orchards are not always planted on the
sites of the old ones ; nor on the exploded theory of the wearing out of varie-
ties, as this season in Ohio, the Bellefleur has been one of the most distin-
guished bearers. Indeed, some of the newer varieties have not been more
productive than the older ones. The Northern Spy I have not been able
to see bearing anywhere abundantly, though what fruit it does afford us, is
certainly fine and healthy. I cannot learn either, that our treatment of
our apple orchards is less scientific than that of our forefathers. Their
course of treatment consisted in "setting out a lot," sowing it with orchard
grass, and raking up the fruit for the cider press, as the fruit fell from the
trees. They do not seem to have cared to prefer any one soil, situation, or
aspect; sand and clay; hill and dale; north, south, east and west; bear wit-
ness to the indifference of our ancient orchardists, in the legacies they bear
as they were left to us. By what unfavorable circumstances, then, are we
surrounded, that our forefathers did not experience? In only one respect
do I see any difference, — in the matter of insects. With the exception of
a" foreign insect, singularly enough termed "American blight," and the
caterpillars of various butterflies, — neither of which, however, does any
serious damage to the fertility of the tree — they were quite free in this
respect; while we are in a manner inundated by numerous varieties. Of
these the well known "borer" is by far the most destructive, and in my
opinion, has to answer for a large share of the sterility of our orchards. It
operates injuriously, by separating many of the vessels conducting the sap
from the roots to the branches. The- latter being insufficiently supplied
with food, cease to make strong growths ; for a few years bear large crops
of small fruit, just as a "ringed branch" does, and then continues for years
to produce small leaves only, or soon dies entirely. Innumerable side shoots

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 11

spring out from the trunk and main branclies, affording tlie material for the
occasional "thinning out" the tree receives, but without any permanent
advantage. But, besides the borer, there is another insect, which is, if pos-
sible, more destructive in this region; which, like the Curculio or stone
fruits, "stings" the fruit in its infancy, causing whole crops to fall off in a
few days. The few fruit the borer allows this tree to produce, this insect
preys on. That it has not received the attention the Curculio has met with,
is probably owing to the fact, that in the apple the fruit soon shrivels, and
falls off after being "stung," while in the case of stone fruits, it remains
hanging on, attracting the eye by its rottenness.

That some varieties should bear fruit regularly here, while other famed
sorts give out, may perhaps be accounted for, by the young fruit being
harder in a young state, sourer ^ or coming later into condition than the
other sorts, which may have "greater inducements" for insects to deposit
their eggs.

These seem to me to be the only serious difficulties that we have to con-
tend with, and though nothing has, as yet, been discovered effectually to
stop their ravages, much has been taught us, by which in a great measure
to check them ; and there is no doubt but that the unconquerable genius of
our race will ultimately be more than a match for these insignificant though
formidable foes to the fruit grower.

Though the apple will grow in almost any soil, it undoubtedly thrives
best in a deep limestone loam. In gravelly or sandy soils, though it will
bear pretty good crops, the fruit is never so fine as in the former case. On
what is practically called "cold soil," or those of a wet, clayey nature,
they become " hidebound" and mossy, and do little good. If it is possible
to keep the ground selected as an apple orchard, under cultivation for a few
years after the trees are planted, it would be much to the advantage of the
proprietor. In that case, the whole ground when about to be ploughed up,
should receive a liberal dressing of stable manure. The ground should be
rich soil, ploughed or turned up twice in the same furrow. They will of
course be planted in rows, and at any distance apart over twenty feet, that
may suit the planter. Plant as soon in the fall as practicable, without even
waiting for the " first frost" to strip them of their leaves ; that the wood be
perfectly ripe, and has entirely ceased to grow cool, the chief things to be
looked after. The trees, which may be had from the nurseries by the hun-
dred, at from twelve to twenty dollars, two or three years from the bud,
ought by no means to be allowed to get dry at their roots, after being lifted
for transplantation. If the planting be done early in spring, more than

12 THE FLORIST AND

ordinary care will be necessary to this end, many failures being the con-
sequence of a neglect of these precautions. In planting, I always dig holes
twenty inches deep, or thereabout, and fill up with sod or surface soil to
the surface. On this I plant, and cover the roots with finer surface soil,
thus leaving it, when finished, slightly mounded ; so that when the soil
settles to its natural level, the tree will be but just beneath the surface of
the ground, as a natural seedling would be. I am very particular in this,
as deep planting kills a multitude of trees. Every tree is staked as soon as
planted, so that it may defy storms to loosen them. It is a wholesome
practice, and one I frequently adopt, when planting in the fall, to draw up
the earth around the stem, considerably higher than it is intended to
remain, and early in spring to level it again. The object is, to prevent the'
frost from drawing out the tree, which it frequently does, when the tree is
planted no deeper than it ought to be.

In the selection of varieties, I should choose standard, well-known kinds.
In this district the following kinds do well, and are generally relied upon.
To ripen in July, Early Bough, or Prince's Early Harvest ; August, Eed
Astrachan, or Early Strawberry ; September, Gravenstien, Maiden's Blush,
Porter, and, bearing a good character, though I have not myself tested it,
Jeffries ; October, Hubbardson's Nonsuch, Rambo, or White Doctor ; Novem-
ber, Cider Apple, or Rhode Island Greening; December, Swan, and, it is
said, the Melon; January, Domine, or the Roman Stem; February, Grind-
stone, Newtown Pippin, Northern Spy, or Roxbury Russet. Some may be
kept good till April or May, by keeping them in an even and cool tempera-
ture, and free from fluctuations in the moisture of the atmosphere.

In the after culture of the apple, attention to insects is of the first
importance. So little is really known of effectual remedies against these,
that the best recommendation I could give, would be for each one to
experiment for himself.

In the matter of pruning, whenever the trees show signs of feebleness,
some of the weaker ones should be taken out in the winter season. If
kept clear of weeds about" them, and occasionally manured, the knife need
seldom be used.

Melocoton.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 13

THE PETUNIA.

. I am not acquainted witli any flower more sportive than the Petunia.
There is one variety particularly disposed to sport, and from it I have
obtained frequently in one season six or more kinds, quite distinct in their
markings. This sporting Petunia is a large, pale rose-colored flower, with
a whitish centre. Every sporting branch taken off and rooted perpetuates
its sported and sporting character. I have tried many of these for four
years past, and find that there is very little tendency to reversion. There
is, however, an objection to them. They are apt to be weak, and it appears
that the sport is in reality a defect. It begins in the leaf, and is indicated
by light colored spots, and a deepening of the green parts. Owing to some
obstruction in the circulation, the chlorophyle is concentrated in certain
parts and deficient in others. Sometimes it is merely deficient in spots, and
not concentrated in other parts. As soon as the flower appears, the same
peculiarity is observed in the distribution of the cyanine^ as in that of the
coloring matter of the leaves. The pale crimson is deepened in hue, and a
corresponding defect of color in patches and stripes give a truly variegated,
and sometimes very beautiful flower. I have used these sports extensively
in hybridizing, and have some variegated flowers from them which do not
possess sporting qualities, and do not appear to be defective.

Chas. G. Page,
Washington, J). Q., December 2Sd, 1854.

■^ The foreign correspondent of Silliman's Journal, for November, 1854, affirms that MM.
Freny and Cloer have isolated the cyanic or blue coloring of flowers, and have given it the
name of cyanine. The paper is one of much interest. C. G. P.

UHif/Z^A^^.

14 THE FLORIST AND

ICE-RIBBANDS OK PLANTS.

I was interested in perusing an article in the last number of the Florist,
on the "effect of frost on certain plants." Having had occasion to observe
the said effect in a plant which is not mentioned, as being subject to it, by
any writer within my knowledge, and yet one in which that curious phe-
nomenon occurs in the most beautiful forms : I mean the Ounila Mariana,
L. or Dittany. While engaged in exploring the route for the West Chester
railway, through the woodlands on the slaty hills north of that borough,
one frosty morning after a rain, in the beginning of winter, 1830, my atten-
tion was arrested by an abundance of beautiful crystalline ribbands, attached
to the dead stems of the Dittany, near their base, in the form of what are
commonly called "bow knots." Those bowed Ice-ribbands issued in oppo-
site pairs from slits in the square stems of the plants, and were one-third
to half an inch wide, striated, and brilliantly pretty in the morning sun.

BiGELOW and Eaton had observed something similar in the HeliantJie-
mum Canadense, Mx., and Elliott has the following, in reference to
Qonyza [Pluchea) bifrons, L. "This plant exhibits frequently a remark-
able phenomenon. In every clear frosty morning during the winter, crys-
talline fibres nearly an inch in length shoot out in every direction from the
base of the stem. It would appear as if the remnant of the sap, or water
absorbed by the decayed stem had congealed, and had burst in this manner
through the pores of the bark. Does this proceed from any essential quality
of the plant, or from its structure?" De Candolle {under Fluchea), cites
the substance of Elliott's remarks, in these words: "Per hiemem in horis
matutinis, si coelum serenum. Librae cristallinse poUicem longae ^ basi caulis
oriuntur !" The phenomenon, though so frequent here, seems to be regarded
as something strange in Europe. No one, even in this country, appears to
have observed the effect of frost upon the Ounila ; although I think the pro-
duct more conspicuous and symmetrical, (perhaps in consequence of the
quadrangular stems,*) and the ribband-like crystals, more than twice the
length of those mentioned by the authors referred to. In the Flora Cestrica,
published in 1837, the following remarks were subjoined to the description
of Ounila Mariana: — "In the beginning of winter, after a rain, very curi-
ous and fantastic ribbands of ice may often be observed, attached to the

* May not tlie manner in wliich the crystals issue, be regulated by the structure and shape
of the stem ? The Cunila, with its four-sided stems, has the crystals issuing through slits, in
the opposite, flat sides; while from the terete stems of the Pluchea, they "shoot out in every
direction."

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 15

base of the stems of this plant — produced, I presume, by the moisture from
the earth rising in the dead stems by capillary attraction, and then being
gradually forced out horizontally, through a slit, by the process of freezing."
The explanation thus suggested, was the one which occurred at the moment ;
and the correctness of it is left for the decision of those more competent to
determine. W. D.

West Chester^ Penna., January 8, 1855.

THE COVERINa OF EARLY GRAPERY BORDERS.

As this is a time when the forcing of grapes is commencing, a few words
with regard to the covering of the outside borders may not be out of place
in your journal.

If we refer to those localities or climates where vegetation prospers best,
and to the most fruitful regions, we shall find that there is no great disparity
in the average degree of heat, between the . atmosphere and the base in
which the roots of plants exist ; neither is there any extraordinarily steady
difference at the various stages of growth, for when the plant is at rest the
atmosphere, and likewise the soil as a general rule is coldest, and vice versa^
consequently there is a reciprocity and an equal action, or equal quiescence
over all parts. We know likewise from experience, that if the head of any
plant were exposed to summer heat, and the roots in the cold of an ice
house, that prosperity could not long continue to exist; in such a case, if it
were positively seen, we should know the evil results that would follow, and
alter the circumstances accordingly, yet strange to say, there are some men
at the present day so strongly attached to planting the grape vine outside
of the house, and still stranger, the same persons are more particularly so
when forcing is intended ; such men will argue that in this position, the
roots more readily progress through the outside borders, and that it is
indispensably necessary, as they have seen fine grapes grown in this way.
Such logic only partakes of the principle on which it is advocated, and
shows its own want of common sense, and will not bear the test of experi-
enced practical, much less that of physiological reasoning, for, on the
contrary, we all know the benefit of keeping all parts of other plants in an
equal temperature, or if there is any improvement to be made, that a gentle
bottom heat under and amongst the roots, and also about the lower parts of

16 THE FLORIST AND

the stems, conduces to healthfulness and success. Why then should the
grape vine be made an exception, for it is subject to and is governed by the
same law as other parts of the vegetable kingdom, and the reason why it
does not so soon resist the bad treatment which is so often practised upon it,*
is on account of its greater docility of constitution. For late crops the
planting outside is not of so much consequence, as the natural temperature
only differs comparatively little from the outside, but for early forcing, it is
absolutely requisite that the stems should be in the house, and if possible,
the roots ought to be kept in the same temperature as the tops. To accom-
plish this desirable desideratum, some of the best cultivators in Britain cover
over the borders during winter and spring, with a sufficient depth of fermen-
ting manure, and replenish it as the heat decreases ; this may do well
enough where the winters are not severe, but in such a climate as the
Middle and Northern States of America, the same practice cannot be satis-
factorily adopted, for, owing to the severity of the weather, there would be
no end to labor, and the quantity of material required ; so that we ought to
have recourse to other and more convenient means to accomplish the same
end, if we wish to acquire the best results, and endanger as little as possible
the welfare of the plants. We may get along pretty well by covering over
with a good depth of tree leaves, or other like material, that will arrest the
escape of the heat contained in the soil, and prevent the penetration of
cold, but this is nothing but a make-shift job and only partly answers the
purpose. A better substitute, and a much more effectual plan is to cover
the border with glazed sashes or wooden shutters, and to conduct an extra
pipe from the hot water apparatus, or a length of flue, which may be con-
veyed around the outside and sunk in a cavity, so that the top may be open
and even with the surface. During the time when forcing is going on, the
heat may in this way, be made to circulate over the surface, and forms a
stratum of warm air within the chamber made by the covering, which ought
not to be elevated more than six inches above the upper level of the border,
so as to keep the collected heat more immediately near the roots, and
prevent waste by limiting cubic bulk. Wooden shutters are best, so far as
retaining the artificial application is concerned, there is likewise no danger
of breakage, but glass sashes have the advantage of collecting a considerable
degree of caloric during sunshine, and will somewhat counterbalance the
loss of its conducting properties. No doubt some persons who may be dis-
^posed to have early grapes may think such appurtenances very troublesome
and expensive, to which we would answer, if a thing is worth doing at all,
do it well, for all horticultural products are cheapest when well attended to.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 17

and sucli a convenience once obtained will last many years, as it may be
removed during the summer season and packed away, and the channel in
which the outside heating apparatus is placed, may at the same time be
covered over to prevent any unsightly appearance, further than the row of
boards or flags, as the top will be level with the surrounding surface. That
good grapes have been and still will continue to be forced early without
such an appendage is reasonably admitted, but is it not more in accordance
with nature to supply the roots with warmth at the same time as the tops,
and is there not a greater probability that success will be more certain and
the yield comparatively superior, besides the enabling of the plants to go
through the various stages of development, and after concentration, with
less injury to the whole body.

It is generally conceded that a house cannot be forced very early, for
many years, without the vines becoming weak and exhausted, consequently
many growers go on the plan of alternating from one house to another
each, or every other season ; thereby as they acknowledge, resting the vines.
Where all other requisites are added to good culture, there is no good
reasoning here, for, when once a plant has been induced by forcing to break
early, it is afterwards disposed to the same, and it only requires half the
amount of heat to start such a plant, that will be necessary, for one that
has not been brought the season previously to the same condition. As to
the weak and slender bearing wood, it is quite reasonable that, that is a
consequence of the tops being unduly excited, while the roots are confined
in a cold base, and therefore have not the power to supply the plant with
the proper juices in sufficient quantity for its. own development. The best
cultivators are aware of this fact, and the adoption of the above plan has
resulted in the most marked success, and we have known houses which were
forced year after year produce heavy crops of fine fruit, when the borders
were covered as advised. It is not to be expected that, as fine bunches, or
as large berries can be produced from the earliest crops, but a good quality
may be obtained uninterruptedly is a fact that needs no further demon-
stration.

Wm. Chorlton..

ROSES OF 1854.

Never since Roses have been cultivated in England to any extent, has
such a fatal season as the past been experienced by the growers. The
severe frost in winter killed nearly all the buds of the tea-scented and
2 .

18 THE FLORIST AND

other delicate Koses, and numbers of the plants. The dry weather in
March and April, destroyed from half to two-thirds of the stocks planted
in December; and the frost on the 25th of April so injured the young and
tender shoots, which were soon after smothered with aphides, that scarcely
any Roses bloomed at their usual season in June and July. It was not till
August, that the Hybrid Perpetuals showed themselves in character, and
after that they flowered satisfactorily. As usual with a favored class of
Roses like the above, we are inundated with so-called novelties from France,
plenty of variety in names, lacking, however, difference in character ; but
there are some few really good and distinct, and quite worthy of a few
words of praise, and so I will endeavor to describe them. Hybrid Per-
petuals are the Roses of the day ; they seem destined to supply all our
out-door wants at least, and one is never tired of their varied beauties.
There were forty or more Roses of this class alone, with new names intro-
duced last winter and spring, most of them of the same unvarying tints of
"rose," "pale rose," and so on; many of them really good, but not differ-
ing enough from well-established varieties, to make them acceptable to the
amateur. There are, however, a few and very few, distinct, good, and
acceptable to all lovers of Roses ; and who is not ? Holding a first rank
among the few is Jules Margottin, which is quite worthy of its descriptive
English name, Perpetual Brennus; its very vigorous habit, and large finely-
shaped light vivid crimson flowers, remind us much of that very fine old
Hybrid China Rose, Brennus. For growing on its own roots, and pegging
down, for a pillar Rose, and as a standard, it is equally well adapted, and
will soon be in every Rose garden. Sir John Franklin and Gloire de la
France are of the race of the G-eant des Batailles, and two fine robust
growing Roses ; the former bright red, the latter more approaching to deep
crimson ; they are two fine varieties. General Jaqueminot is, like the
above, one of our new Roses, and most striking, from the size of its
flowers, which are of rich shaded crimson. It has, however, two faults ; its
flowers are not sufficiently double, and its habit of growth is rather slender
and delicate. We now require Roses perfect in all points ; large and double
flowers, opening freely, fine healthy foliage, and a vigorous hardy habit.
Duchess of Norfolk will probably form a nice pillar Rose. Now we come
to a host of new names applied to Ptoses, with shades of rose color and
pink, such as Alphonse de Lamartine, Colonel de Rougemont, Madame
Domage (both varieties of the race of Baronne Prevost,) Ceres, Gloire de
Parthenay, La Ville de St. Denis, Lady Milsom, Madame Hector Jacquin,
a large and vigorous growing Rose. Madame Harriet Stowe, Aline Gilbon,

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 19

Mademoiselle Quetel, Marie de Bourges, Sephora, Triomplie en Beaute,
James Veitch, Leon Plee, and several others, all pretty enougli — for what
Rose is not ? — but with verj little distinction in their characters. Gervaise
Rouillard is a cheat; it is the old Hybrid China, General Lamoriciere.
Some few of the Roses among the Hybrid Perpetuals, introduced in 1853,
have bloomed this season in great perfection, and have proved themselves
worthy of a place in every Rose garden. Such are Prince Leon Hotschou-
bey, or simply Prince Leon, which is a shorter and better name, and Paul
Dupuy, two charming Roses. Alexandrina BachmeteflF, with its brilliant
carmine flowers, is also a great acquisition, as is another Rose, with a tire-
some Russian name, Prince Chipetouzikoff, with brilliant deep red flowers ;
Adam Paul is too double and large to open well in our climate. Souvenir
de Leveson Gower is a magnificent crimson and first-rate Rose, and Triomphe
de Paris, very dark crimson, has also bloomed beautifully. Lady Stuart,
of the same color, is not equal to Madame Rivers. Victoria has not opened
well, and seems tender, as it suftered much by the winter. Archimede,
Volta, and Ferdinand Deppe, are good rose-colored and pink Roses, but
not distinct enough. Among Bourbon Roses, we have but one this season
really worthy of attention, viz. La Quintinie ; this is most superb, its deep
crimson flowers are of the most perfect shape ; but it has one fault, it is
delicate in its habit, and requires the highest cultivation. Francois Herincq,
also a new Rose of this class, is too" much like Prince Albert, and Surpasse
Cornice de Seine et Marne. In Tea- scented Roses, we have but one really
fine and distinct, viz. Gloire de Dijon ; in its foliage, habit, and shape, and
size of its flowers, it is almost an exact resemblance of the Bourbon Rose,
Souvenir de la Malmaison, and, like that fine Rose, it requires dry warm
weather to open its flowers in perfection. Its perfume is tea-like and power-
ful, and in color it is quite unique, being tinted with fawn, salmon, and rose,
and difficult to describe. Auguste Yacher is also a new Tea Rose, perhaps
too much like Noisette Ophirie in color and habit to be highly esteemed. It
is long since we have had any new and good Noisette Roses ; but this sea-
son a new variety called Augusta has been sent from America, which has
bloomed in great perfection ; it is of the race of Solfaterre, and resembles
it closely in habit; its flowers are, however, more double and globular,
remarkably elegant in shape, and in the centre of its flower it is a little
deeper in color. Another new Noisette Rose is Marie Charge, of the Ophirie
class ; its flowers are larger, more brilliant in color than that well-known
Rose, and its habit seems very vigorous and hardy. T. Rivers,

In (xard. Chron.

20 THE FLORIST AND

A RETROSPECT OF THE DAHLIA SEASON OF 1854.

In redemption of tlie conditional pledge given to the readers of the
Florist, in the number for July last, I return to the subject of the Dahlia,
■which, although well-nigh threadbare, from constant wear, is by no means
"used up." Can it ever be so, indeed, while progressive improvement in
the growing and showing of the flower goes steadily forward, as at present ?

The season just past, as every grower can testify, has been especially
unfavorable to the Dahlia. Early planting was impossible, in consequence
of the cold weather having been even more protracted than usual. I am
not, however, disposed to consider this a great evil. Indeed, it must be
admitted — taking into account the condition of the ground, and the remark-
ably fine wea4;her which followed close upon the period of planting — that
during the first weeks of culture the prospect of the Dahlia fancier was
never more encouraging. The plants grew most vigorously; and well it
was they did so, for never did they more need an exuberance of strength,
to enable them to bear up against the adverse influences to which they soon
became exposed. No part of the kingdom I have heard of was exempt from
the ravages of the black aphis, than which nothing more efi'ectually checks
the growth and debilitates the constitution of the plant. This was suc-
ceeded (in certain districts) by a minute grub, deposited in the axils of the
upper leaves, which found its appropriate aliment in the bloom bud, almost
as soon as developed. From these two causes early flowers were unusually
bad. My own — instead of being the finest of the season, as is usually the
case — were meagre, ill-conditioned, and lustreless. But since

The darkest day —
Live till to-morrow — will haye passed away ;

So here, as in every instance, Time brought with him his healing in-
fluences, and the prospects of the Dahlia waxed brighter. But the summer
was unusually dry, and then came the earwig in battalions, and, worse than
whole armies of earwigs, the dreaded thrips. The effect of the last-named
pest was, as might naturally be expected, especially detrimental to the
London growers ; and to this cause I attribute it, that until after the wel-
^come showers which fell about the middle of September, they were not found
to occupy their usual prominent places at exhibitions. At Salisbury, at the
Surrey Gardens, and at Brighton, the chief prizes were taken into the

^ HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 21

country ; while at Slougli and Highbury the Metropolitans were again in
their wonted position, and earned the highest honors ;

They won them all well, and may they wear them long.

I think I have enumerated a tolerable list of casualties (to use a word

now become too familiar), which have befallen the "burden of my song"
this year. With all these drawbacks can it be said the Dahlia has been
worse shown than usual? To "speak the whole truth," perhaps we must
answer generally. Yes. But whoever saw the two noble collections from
Norwich, which at Brighton completely distanced all competitors, will
speak "nothing but the truth," in replying to the query with a special and
emphatic No. On the whole, I think we may safely infer that the past
season has shown an advance in the cultivation of the Dahlia. I doubt if
two such collections of twenty-four blooms, as those I have alluded to, were
ever before put together by amateurs. It is worthy of remark, in the
review we are now taking, that as a general rule amateurs have exhibited
better this year than nurserymen. This is an individual opinion [valeat
quantum), and can be expected to be received with only partial assent.
With respect to the disposition of colors, I must in candor confess that
little, if any, improvement is visible. Let me once again request the earnest
attention of exhibitors to this important subject.

It is a fact well known to florists that each variety of any given flower
has its own peculiar season ; and that while all are more or less beautiful,
there are certain circumstances — not always understood — under which
individual kinds shine forth with more than usual splendor, or sink into
comparative insignificance. The Dahlia is no exception. It may therefore
not be altogether a waste of time if we take a rapid glance at the varieties
which have been most seen at the exhibitions of the present year, not for-
getting a passing thought of those, "though absent, not forgot," which have
perhaps been missed from their accustomed places. To accomplish this the
more readily, I propose — in the first place — to allude to the sorts in the
hands of the public up to the present year. These it will be convenient to
separate into two classes : 1st, the varieties in cultivation prior to 1853 ;
and 2ndly, those sent out in the spring of that year. Of the Dahlias of
185.4 I shall say a word or two on a future occasion. 1st, " Like angels'
visits, few and far between," are the glimpses we have caught of Alice ; but
when she does condescend to appear, her beauty is unsurpassed. Annie
Salter has somewhat emerged from the cloud which obscured her last year,
though she can scarcely be said to have realized the expectations raised on

22 THE FLORIST AND ^

her first " coming out." Barmaid has forsaken the bar (of public opinion).
True to her vocation, she is, possibly, searching among cobwebs for old Bees-
wing, now less frequently on the table than in byegone days. Duke of
Wellington, like the hero whose name it bears, sustains campaign after
campaign, and still comes forth victorious. Essex Triumph is still " to the
fore," and when compelled to give place to more youthful competitors will
retire full of years and honors. Fearless ! though still retainest thy bold,
undaunted aspect ; yet mayest though well beware ! Remember Samson
and Dalilah, and tremble despite thy strength ! George Glenny is generally
considered to be too coarse for the present refined taste ; but we must not
permit this defect to render us blind to other and better qualities. George
Villiers has scarcely proved himself to be so great a personage as he was
formerly deemed to be. What has happened to General Faucher ? He
has been abroad but little of late, and when he has appeared, his best
friends barelyable to recognize him, have wished, for his own sake, he had
remained at home. The absence of the Hon. Mr. Herbert may be excused,
the Emperor of all the Bussias (like a tyrant as he is) having confined him
closely to his office. Notwithstanding that his presence is always acceptable to
every staunch florist, John Edward has been seen but occasionally, and
then for the most part in the back-ground. The beauty of Louisa Glenny
is of the order termed by our good friends the French, petite ; nevertheless,
we should have rejoiced to have seen her delicate features more frequently.
That beAvitching little brunette Miss Spears continues as captivating as ever.
Model, with one solitary exception, has proved a misnomer. Morning Star,
with all its brightness, appears to be verging towards an eclipse. Mr.
Seldon has been as ubiquitous as ever, but we regret to say he has appeared
a little out of sorts. We trust his ailment is merely temporary. In all his
peregrinations he was accompanied, as usual, by his better half, who, we are
happy to say, is as attractive as ever. No lady of our acquaintance is more
universally and more justly admired than Mrs. Seldon. Privateer was seen
once or twice, going to windward under easy sail — "letters of marque"
being out of vogue at this juncture. The temporary abdication of the Queen
of Lilacs was regretted by most of her subjects; her re-appearance, in full
regal splendor, in the suburbs, on a late occasion — where she underwent the
ceremony of -re-coronation — was highly gratifying. Queen of Whites is
scarcely so popular as formerly ; nay, it is even whispered that her reign
i^jay prove ephemeral. The good knight Red Gauntlet is as staunch and
stalwart as ever ; there is stuff of the right sort in him yet, though detrac-
tors are apt to remark, there is scarcely enough of it. The comparative

HORTICULTUEAL JOUEXAL. 26

retirement into private life of Richard Cobden has attracted much observa-
tion. Can it be that the high price of corn, in spite of repeal, has any con-
nection with this matter ? The Rose of England is blooming still. Long
may it be ere her flowers shall fade and her leaves wither ! Shylock still
" frets his hour upon the stage." Allusion to Sir Charles Napier, during
his absence in the Baltic, would not be in good taste. He will doubtles be
able to give a good account of himself on his return. Of the worthy baronets
Sir Frederick Bathurst and Sir Robert Peel, suflBce it to say they still
maintain a high position in that society of which they are distinguished
ornaments. Whittington continues to prove worthy of his fairly-earned
honors. Thames Bank Hero, having "achieved greatness" for himself,
may now repose upon his laurels, with the firm conviction that sterling worth
will ever prove Triumphant. White Standard has been kept closely furled.
Ay, truly: no "flag of truce" for Britons! The meteor flag of England
waves proudly over land and sea. Long may it float triumphant, the
emblem of safety to her children, of confusion to her enemies, and the
enemies of her first-born — Liberty !

But whither away ! My favorite hobby has bolted with me, as usual.
He will carry me steadily enough so long as we keep the beaten road ; but
no sooner do we emerge upon the soft turf, with the ostensible purpose of
enjoying a quiet canter, than the ungrateful brute takes the bit between his
teeth, and fairly (should I not say foully ?) runs away with me. The
chances are then about equal, whether I find myself in the position of victor
or vanquished. Not seldom he dej)osits me in the mire, to extricate myself
as best I can. At other times, as now, I am fortunate enough to restrain
his vagaries. So, gently, old- fellow ! No more of this, if you please.
And now, having regained the causeway, we will endeavor to jog on soberly
and staidly, to the termination of our journey. Allans !

Secondly. We come next to the consideration of those Dahlias which
were sent out in the spring of 1853. As we have had only two trials of
these, any opinion that maybe given respecting them must be received with
a certain amount of reserve. Some of them will doubtless prove as valuable
as the best of our older acquaintances ; many will be extremely useful, and
a few may be discarded forthwith.

Amazon is happily named. A noble, bold flower, very far in advance of
any of its class. It has been extensively shown, and a prominent feature
in almost every stand exhibited throughout the season. Beauty of the
Grove, discarded by many after a single year's probation, has been very
good. The air of Bermondsey seems particularly favorable to this variety.

24 THE FLORIST AND

Bishop of Hereford is a good useful flower, of average pretensions. It is
not, however, as many supposed, one of the best of its year : the frequency
of its appearance is a pledge of its constancy. Bob has scarcely realized
our expectations. The brilliancy of its color, and the dearth of good bright
scarlets, will secure it a place in collections for some time to come.
British Queen maybe spared without inconvenience. Exquisite is not a
constant flower, but so extremely beautiful at times that most growers will
be disposed to find a place for it, on the chance of a good bloom. Grand
Duke is one of the useful class. Lilac King has been occasionally first-rate.
At its very best it may be superior to Fearless, but cannot be compared
with that fine old variety in respect of constancy. Ma Beaute has
made no display, and may therefore be presumed to be a failure. Miss
Caroline i» very desirable. It is a flower of remarkable depth, and if not
quite so constant as might be wished, it is far more so than Marchioness of
Cornwallis, whose vacant place it so worthily occupies. M. Dugere has not
been much shown ; this is a pretty rather than a fine fiower. Those who
have it not m'ay contrive to get on sufficiently well without it. Plantagenet
has not been much exhibited. It is a very fine flower, but rarely to be had
in first-rate condition. It is a good deal after the fashion, of — and at times
far superior to — Mr. Seldon ; but while we can always depend upon a bloom
of the old variety, but slight reliance can be placed upon the new. Queen
Victoria has been exhibited on one occasion only, when it created quite a
sensation. Shall we be going too far if we venture to predict that, as a
show flower, we have "looked our last" on this variety. Robert Bruce has
been shown on most occasions, still it is anything but a good flower. It
may retain its place for the present, being one of that class which — never
first-rate — is always to be found in tolerable condition. Sir John Franklin
is a very variable kind, depending much on soil and cultivation. Under
good management it comes out magnificently; but as produced by the
majority of growers it presents but a meagre appearance. To do' this
flower justice, several plants should be grown, and but very few buds left on
each ; moreover the operation of disbudding should be commenced as soon
as the buds are developed ; if a number of them be allowed to attain a con-
siderable size, their free removal at that period will do little towards the
production of large blooms. Transcendant has not been good enough to
appear in public. Its centre is irretrievably bad, and it may be consigned
to the border or manure heap without the slightest compunction.

A few words respecting the fancy Dahlias. The varieties sent out in
1853 were not numerous. Attraction has been now and then exhibited : a

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 25

second-class flower as regards form, but very brilliant and striking. Claudia
is too coarse for the show-board, from which it must soon be banished.
Duchess of Kent, whether self or parti-colored, is one of the best Dahlias in
cultivation, and well maintains its position. Jonas is become an established
favorite. Eeine des Fleurs is another very beautiful variety, and likely to
be much in request ; want of constancy is its prominent failing. Unanimity,
if not much in advance of its class, is likely to come in well occasionally.
"Wonderful is a well-shaped flower of remarkable depth ; perfect blooms,
however, are not to be had on all occasions ; it is one of the most fitful of
this very uncertain tribe.

Of the old fancies there is little to be said. Year after year the least
perfect of them recede — by twos and threes — from our view, and are
replaced by newer sorts ; but novelty soon passes away ; they must then be
tried by other tests, and stand or fall by their intrinsic merits. There is a
steady advance in this class, and every year adds to our stock of really
good varieties. Our continental friends have contributed not a little to this
improvement. No surer evidence of progression can be given than the fact
that fancy Dahlias are more ephemeral than selfs. Empereur de Maroc is
the oldest member of this family now cultivated by exhibitors. We still
retain some excellent varieties in the other section, of far remoter date.

A. S. H.
InLond. Florist.

[We are much obliged to our valued correspondent for this article,
although, on a future occasion, we shall have the pleasure of appearing as
counsel for the defendants in this action, feeling, as we do, that some of the
varieties deserve a little higher praise than "A. S. H." has awarded them.
Ed.]

ANGELONIA GRANDIFLORA.

This is a really useful plant for summer decoration, producing spikes of
Pine-apple scented flowers very freely, and remaining in beauty for months ;
being also of quick growth and easy culture, useful sized specimens of it
may soon be obtained. Cuttings selected of short-jointed rather firm bits
of the young shoots should be put in early in summer, placing them in a
moderate bottom-heat, where with proper care in watering and shading, &c.,
they will emit roots in a few weeks, and may then be potted singly in small
pots. Replace them in a warm moist situation after potting, and guard
them from the direct rays of the sun until they become established in their

26 THE FLORIST AND

pots, ■when they should be gradually inured to a free circulation of air, and
placed near the glass. Let the young plants be stopped as frequently as
may be necessary to secure a bushy habit of growth, and attend to shifting
when they require more pot room.

With ordinary management, strong bushy plants in T-inch pots may
easily be obtained by autumn from cutting roots in spring, and these with
common care will form specimens of almost any desired size the following
season. The plants are somewhat liable to damp off in winter unless pro-
perly treated, therefore place them near the glass in a light airy part of a
house where the temperature is kept at about 50° by fire heat, and give
water sparingly while the plants are in a dormant state. Early in February
cut back and tie-out the principal shoots sufficiently to secure a thick bushy
habit of growth, and place the plants near the glass in a warm house, and
thoroughly moisten the balls in order to induce active growth. Also see to
the state of the roots shortly after placing the plants in heat, and give a
liberal shift to such as are found to require more pot room, and water care-
fully until ths plants get into free growth, but moisten them overhead with
the syringe on the afternoons of fine days, and maintain a moist atmosphere.
As the season advances, give air freely on fine days, and attend to stopping
any shoots that may incline to outgrow the others, and keep them nicely
tied out, so as to promote a bushy habit of growth.

When good sized bushes are obtained, which, with good management,
will be the case by May, discontinue stopping, and in order that the flower-
ing shoots may be as dwarf as they can be obtained, keep the specimens
near the glass, and admit air rather freely on fine days, keeping the shoots
thin by staking. If the specimens appear to want more pot room, this
should be seen to as soon as they start into growth after the final stopping,
and if they are expected to continue growing and flowering the greater part
of the summer and autumn, they must be afi"orded sufficient space for their
roots. When they are fairly in bloom they may be removed to a warm
corner in the conservatory or show-house ; an occasional watering with
weak clear manure water will be of great service in maintaining them in a
vigorous healthy state, and securing a succession of flower ; and, if necessary,
they may be cut over, and removed to a warm situation, where they will
soon throw up an abundance of young wood, and flower profusely a second
time. When the specimens become useless for decorative purposes in autumn
they may be thrown away at once, as young plants grow so rapidly that it
is useless wintering large bulky old specimens — but be provided with young
plants before throAving away the old ones. Any light rich fibry soil, such

HORTICULTURAL JOURITAL. 27

as eqiial parts of loam, leaf soil and peat, with a proper admixture of sand,
will answer perfectly for the growth of this plant ; but a small proportion
of well decayed manure may he added with advantage at the last shift, and
and good drainage should be secured. . Alpha.

In Crard. Chron.

NOTICE OF THE EED CAMOMILE.
PyretJirum roseum, (Biebekstein.)

For some years, a vague report has reached us of a Caucasian plant,
having astonishing and eminently useful properties ; that of destroying fleas
and bugs ; it was also known that this marvellous plant belonged to the
genus Pyrethruin, but the specific character was uncertain. Some referred
it to the Pyrethrum caucasicum, others to the Pyrethrum balsamita of
Persia ; the mystery has just been cleared up and very happily. Thanks
to the philanthropy of Baron Eolkersahm, of Pakenhof, in Courland, this
precious plant has just been introduced into Brussels, in the rich collections
of the botanical garden. We shall hope then that hence in some years the
red camomile shall have freed our good country people from one of the most
abominable plagues which afflict our sensitive humanity.

Some details of a plant of so certain a future as that of the red camomile
will be without doubt acceptable to our readers. We owe them, we must
acknowledge, to the extreme kindness of the philanthropist whose name
merits being associated with that of the red camomile, and of being known
by all.

In Trans-Caucasia, its country, the red camomile bears also the name of
the Persian camomile^ the flea killer, send flea- wort ; it forms a little shrub,
with perennial roots, branched, 12 to 15 inches high, bearing many flowers
at first of a deep red, afterwards of clear or rosy red, and an inch and a half
in diameter, (the size of the flowers will also cause this plant to be cultivated
as an ornament in our gardens,) the stalks dry up after the ripening of the
seeds ; but the roots are perennial, and for some years may be multiplied by
division. Freshly gathered, the flowers are not very odorous ; but, dried,
they acquire an odor so strong and penetrating, that it kills all the insects
and all the vermin of which, until now, no certain agent of destruction has
been found. The red camomile can bear 20° centigrade of frost, a tempera-
ture to which it is often submitted on the Caucasian mountains and on the
plains elevated from 4,500 to 6,500 feet above the sea level. Although it
inhabits virgin soil, it is easily brought into cultivation in gardens, and since

28 THE FLORIST AND

its energetic properties have been recognized, it is cultivated in a large way
in different parts of southern Russia, (Tiflis, Schums, Jarkof, &c.)

One fact very remarkable, is, that the knowledge of the secret of the
manufacture of the red camomile powder for the destruction of fleas, &c.,
only dates, even in Caucasia, back about ten years, while the employment
of this strong powder was known in regions far distant from Circassia. It
seems, that an Armenian merchant, named Sumbitoff, travelling in the
south of Asia, observed that the inhabitants sprinkled themselves with a
powder to prevent the stings of insects. This powder was nothing else than
that made of the flowers of the red camomile. Returned to his country,
our Armenian told his son of the discovery, and taught him to recognize
the plant. This son, become poor by reverses of fortune, bethought himself
of his father's secret ; he set himself then to make this powder, and retired
with very large profits from this trade. In 1818, he sold a poud, (about
20 kilogrammes) of camomile powder at 25 roubles (near 100 frs.); and
although the secret had been published, and every one knew the prepara-
tion of this powder, more than twenty villages in the district of Alexan-
dropol were actually given up to the cultivation of the red camomile.

The flowering of the Pyrethrum roseum commences in June, and con-
tinues more than a month. The flowers are gathered in dry weather; in
one day a good harvester can gather from 30 to 80 pounds of these wild
flowers. They generally dry them in the sun; but it is remarked, that
those dried in the shade have more virtue. The bed of flowers is stirred
from time to time to help the drying : three or four days is sufiicient to drive
off every trace of moisture. To obtain one pound of dried flowers, it requires
about 1000 pounds of fresh ones ! They are then reduced to a coarse pow-
der with the hand, and by means of a little millstone, or a little brass mill,
a very fine powder fit for use is obtained. We see by this that the process
is very simple ; the most diifficult question is how to operate upon a suffi-
ciently large number of flowering plants.

To give an idea of the importance of the manufacture of this powder, we
must state that in Trans- Caucasia alone, there are made, each year, for con-
sumption in the Russian empire, more than 40,000 kilogrammes.

Baron Folkersahm enters into long details on the cultivation of the red
camomile, which it would be useless to dwell upon at present. His memoir
terminates with the following remarks : that this powder preserves you from
fleas and bugs; it kills flies, gnats, maggots, lice, and even the worms which
are produced in the wounds of our domestic animals. To kill insects pro-
vided with wings, they mix a little of this with a substance which will attract
them ; for instance, to destroy flies it is mixed with sugar.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 29

M, Folkersahm desires that the effects of this powder should be tried on

other insects and worms hurtful to man, or to his horticultural plantations ;

he adds, that if experiments demonstrate the efficacy of this powder, each

peasant could cultivate in a corner of his garden, a certain number of plants

of .red camomile to kill all the insects, caterpillars, etc., which ravage his

field. From an approximative calculation, it is found that a space of 18

square versts furnishes a quintal of ]30wder.

H. Galleotti,

in ^^ Journal d' horticulture de Belgique."

Note. — Professor Morren was right in saying that the true enemies of the flea ■were to be
found in the family of the Compositte ; the virtues of the Pyrethrum roseum have corroborated
his opinion, founded on the use -which is still made in Dalmatia and Bosnia of the large Aster
[Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) of our fields to drive away fleas. Professor Cantraine, in a
notice communicated to the Royal Academie of Sciences of Belgium, says, that he was asto-
nished at the small quantity of fleas in certain parts of Eastern Europe. The Dalmatians and
the Bosnians mix the Aster with the litter of domestic animals. M. Morren cites another
composite plant, the Inula 2:>ulicaria, Linn., whose virtues in destroying insects were described
in the sixteenth century by the illustrious Dodens of Malines. — H. G.

Mr. B. Roezl, who lived a long time in Russia, informs me that the Insecten pulver (powder
of the Pyrethrum) is imported every year from Persia and the Caucasian provinces into all
of the Russian empire, and that used fresh, sprinkled over the window sills, it makes all the
flies fall instantly, asphyxiating them, but that at the end of a year it loses its energy. He
assures me that it is the Pyrethrum carneum and roseum which produce this powder. I have
cultivated this plant for twenty years. Louis Van Hotjtte,

in "Flore des Serres."

UNITED STATES AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The Third Annual Meeting of the United States Agricultural Society
will be held at Washington, D. C, on Wednesday, February 28, 1855.

Business of importance will come before the meeting. A new election of
officers is to be made, in which it is desirable that every State and Territory
should be represented.

Lectures and interesting discussions are expected on subjects pertaining to
the objects of the association, by distinguished scientific and practical
Agriculturalists.

The various Agricultural Societies of the country are respectfully request-
ed to send delegates to this meeting ; and all gentlemen who are interested
in the welfare of American Agriculture, who would promote a more cordial
spirit of intercourse between the different sections of our land, and who
would elevate this most import pursuit to a position of greater usefulness
and honor, are also invited to be present on this occasion.

Marshall P. Wilder, President.
W. S. King, Secretary.

30 THE TLORIST AND

Reported for the Florist.

PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE.

Stated meeting at rooms, Masonic Hall, South Third street, on Wednes-
day morning, January 3d, 1855.

President, Dr. A. L. Elwyn, in the chair. The minutes of the preceding
meeting were read and approved. The following gentlemen were elected
resident members, viz: Messrs. Edgar Black, William G. Warder, Thomas
Drake and Henry Grambo, of Philadelphia, and Mr. James Sloan, of Port
Kennedy, Montgomery county. Pa. After the reading of the Treasurer's
Report, Mr. David S. Brown, of Philadelphia, presented to the Society for
distribution, a number of copies in pamphlet form of the letter of Mr. David
M. Stone, of New York Journal of Commerce, to the wool-growers ; also
copies of the New York Evening Post, containing an article on wool.

Mr. Brown accompanied his donation with some highly interesting remarks
on the manufacture of woollens in the United States, in the course of which
he stated that the discriminating duty on wool, which had been designed to
benefit the manufacturer, had been found so injurious that the mills for the
finer fabrics were nearly all closed. He referred especially to the manufac-
ture of broadcloths. In such goods the warp was formed of American wool,
for which purpose such wool was eminently adapted ; but for the woof, or
filling and face, foreign wool was found indispensable. This wool the pre-
sent tariflf almost excluded from our market, and as a consequence the broad-
cloth mills had stopped one after another, until the last, that of Mr. Slater,
of Rhode Island — whose father was among the first to introduce the making
of broadcloths into this country — had ceased its operations. He (Mr.
Brown) did not vouch for the correctness of the view entertained by work-
men, but he knew that they ascribed the superiority of Saxon wool for the
above purposes to the fact that, in Germany, they sheared their sheep twice
a year. Certainly German cloths, at the present rates of duty, were fast
driving all others out of the market. A removal of duty altogether would
probably open the way for an unprecedented increase of manufactures. No
better state of the trade was possible than that of freedom from all duty.
This was true as well of dye stufis as of wooh If we admitted them free
the price in all other markets would at once be raised. Eor certain fabrics
our wool was in demand. It was more flexible, longer, and a large portion
of it was finer than the European and Australian wool. Great Britain had
wisely opened the raw materials of the world to her manufacturers. Here

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 31

where money, rates and labor are higlier, we cannot expect success unless
we imitate her. Our wool was unequalled for flannels and fancy cassimeres.
That of South America was well adapted to the manufacture of blankets,
but for other fabrics it required to be mixed with the wool of the United
States. French manufacturers find our fibre more flexible and admirably
adapted to making merinos and worsted goods.

Mr. Spangler reminded the Society that the wool which had taken the
first premium at the World's Fair, London, was from Tennessee.

Mr. C. W. Harrison contended that much of the alleged inferiority of
American wool for certain purposes, arose from our merchants failing to dis-
criminate qualities in the purchase. They pay so much for the whole fleece
without sorting.

Mr. Aaron Clement presented the following communication on the Tar-
tar Sheep : —

" The Tartar or Shanghae Sheep, lately introduced into this country,
exhibit some very peculiar characteristics. They are of fine size, with broad
tails, prominent noses and very agreeable countenances. The fleece is light,
and suited only for blanketings and other coarse woollen fabrics. The
mutton is highly esteemed, being free from all rank or woolly flavor. Per-
haps the most distinguishing characteristic of the Tartar Sheep is their
numerous offspring, the ewes having lambs every spring and fall, and from
two to four at a time. Dr. Emerson, of Philadelphia, who obtained a pair
of the original stock, states that one of his ewes had three lambs last Feb-
ruary, all of which have been raised. About the middle of November she
had two more, whilst at the same time two of the February lambs had each
a lamb, making her a grandmother in nine months, and her progeny within
that time no less than seven. The Doctor has crossed the Shanghae Sheep
with an excellent breed of the country, by which the carcase has been
increased and the fleece much improved. What will be the result in regard
to the prolific characteristic remains to be proved. Probably this will be
moderated to a point which may render them more acceptable to many than
the full bloods. I have a buck and ewe of these half bloods which are cer-
tainly very fine stock, and well worth the attention of all persons who take
an interest in sheep, especially to those who look to profit more from the
lambs and mutton than from the fleece."

Dr. Emerson requested Mr. Newbold to relate his experience with the
Tartar Sheep.

Mr. A. T. Newbold had two ewes seven months old, one of which had
had two and the other three lambs. The old ewe had had seven lambs

32 THE FLORIST AND

within twelve months. The usual numher at a birth was three, but Dr.
Emerson had had a ewe die from an injury a few days before her "term,"
in which four foetuses were found. The wool was not fine. It would neither
full nor felt, and was unshrinkable.

Mr. 0. Shekidan doubted if any ewe could furnish milk enough to sup-
pert two or three lambs. His Southdowns certainly could not.

Dr. Emerson replied that the capacity to furnish sufficient milk had been
proved by his ewes, two of which had raised their lambs without any
assistance.

Mr. 0. Sheridan moved that the Executive Committee be requested to
report at next meeting on the expediency of the Society's holding an Exhi-
bition next autumn ; but he sbusequently gave way, in order to afford time
for the annual election, which being held, resulted as follows : — For Presi-
dent, David Landreth ; for Vice Presidents, A. T. Newbold, Aaron Cle-
ment ; Corresponding Secretary, Sydney G. Fisher ; Recording Secretary,
Alfred L. Kennedy ; Assistant Secretary, P. E. Freas ; Treasurer, George
Blight ; Executive Committee, Dennis Kelly, Algernon S. Roberts, Samuel
Williams, John Lardner, A. T. Newbold and John McGowan.

Dr. A. L. Kennedy submitted the following resolution, which was unan-
imously adopted.

Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be and they are hereby tendered
to Dr. A. L. Elwyn, for the courteous and impartial manner in which he
has performed the duties of President during the last two years.

Dr. Elwyn reminded the Society that they had frequently, during the
last ten years, entertained a proposition to establish an Agricultural Read-
ing Room, to be open on Tuesday and Friday evenings and during the day.
He deemed the present the most eligible time to carry out the plan, inas-
much as the Society would, ere long, be compelled to find other accommo-
dations. He also announced that the next session of the State Society
would be held in Harrisburg on 16th inst.

The Chair deemed the occasion of that meeting a proper one on which to
represent to the Legislature the great wrong done the Society and the cause
of agriculture in this section of the State, by the withdrawal of our annual
appropriation, which had been, up to the last session, continued uninter-
ruptedly for many years. Adjourned.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 33

PHILESIA BUXIEOLIA.

Smilacese § Philesise. — Hexandria-Monogynia.

Charact. Gener. Mores hermaphroditi, Gahjx triphyllus, basi bractea-
tus, foliolis oblongis, membranaces-scariosis erectis. Petala 8, calyce
quadruple longiora majoraque, obovato-oblonga, mucronulata, campanulata-
conniventia, ima basi in tubum connata, intus glandula situberculo nectavi-
fero aucta, ceracea, siccitate venosa, subtus glauca. Staynina 6, lonwitudine
fere petalorum. Filamenta inferne monadelpba et imge basi petalorum
conjuncta. Antherce erectse, oblongae, subsagittatse, basifixse. Ovarium
ovale, trigonum, liberum, uniloculare, placentis tribus parietalibus. Ovula
plurima. Stylus stamina paululum superans. Stigma dilatatum, margine
reflexo subtrilobo. Bacca ovali-globosa, pulposa, polysperma, mucronata.

Suffrutex m,agellanicu$, erectus, ramosus, ramis alternis, squaonosis, apice
precipue foliosis. Folia alterna, Imeari-eUiptica, coriacea, mucronata^
pennivenia, subtus glauca, margine reflexa, petiolis brevibus articulatis.
Flores speciosi, nutantes in ramis terminales, soUtari, brevissime pedun-
culati, pedunculis bracteatis. Hooker.

Philesia, Commerson ex Juss. Gen. 41. Endlicher Gen. No. 1198.
Species unica : Philesia buxifolia Lamk. — 111. r. 248 Encycl. vol. V. p. 269.
KuNTH Enum. pi. V. p. 285. — Lindl. Vegetable Kingdom, ed. 2, p. 217
cum icone floris. — Hook. fil. H. antart, II. p. 85. — Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 4738
(icon hie iterata.)

" Considering the idea we have of the straits of Magellan, with its fogs
and storms, one is surprised to find there such charming flowers as the
Lapageria rosea and the Philesia buxifolia. But nature has smiles for
every zone and for all climates. As if to compensate for the long frosts,
she gives to the short summers of polar or alpine regions a lustre of flower-
ing which even the country of the myrtle would envy. No Flora of a tem-
perate part of Europe equals, in comparative richness, in the size and state
of the corolla, that of Lapland and the Alps, with their Gentians, their
Ranunculus, Dryas, Rhododendron and Primroses, forms as brilliant in the
rapid season of their loves, as they are humble in their size and verdure."

Thus far Dr. Planchon in the Flore des Serres. For the rest we have
an account of the climate of the southern extremity of South America,
where the temperature, of a general uniformity, permits the growth of the
same plants, or at least of the same character of plants, from the straits of
Magellan to Chili, In this region Mr. Lobb succeeded in procuring plants
of our present subject.

Oommerson, the naturalist of Bougainville's expedition, discovered this
3

34 THE FLORIST AND

plant in 1767. Since that time it has been found in various places along
the western coast and on the island of Chiloe. This plant has lived in the
open air in the more temperate part of England, for instance at Exeter, in
Messrs. Veitch's gardens, who introduced it and exhibited it in flower at
Chiswick in 1853.

"Very nearly related to the genus Lapageria, but suflBciently characterized
by the structure of the flowers, it also differs in its shape. In place of
bein.o- a vine with climbing stalks like a Smilax, the Philesia forms an
undershrub with numerous and erect branches, with dense, coriaceous, ever-
green foliage. The flowers, solitary at the end of the lesser branches, are
eleo^antly pendant ; their color is of the brightest carmine. The shrub
attains, in its native country, three or four feet of height ; but the size of
those which Messrs. Veitch showed in flower, varied from four to eighteen
inches."

This plant is already in our collections, but it has not thus far, to our
knowledge, flowered. We shall probably have it in flower during the
coming yesfr.

For the Florist.

PREMATURE DECAY OF THE PLUM.

BY PROF. J. R. KIRTLAND, M, D.

The Plum crop, of late years, has generally failed in northern Ohio. This
result has been charged to the curculio, and in many instances correctly;
but a fatal disease had been insidiously progressing among our fruit orchards,
•which has done more injury than that insect. The effect of the two evils
lias not usually been discriminated one from the other. Indeed, few culti-
vators seem to be aware of the prevalence of any such disease.

More than thirty years since I observed it attacking the fruit of the old
foreign variety, known as the "Horse Plum," which was almost the only
kind then met with in these parts that abounded with rich and saccharine
q.ualities. As this variety had been propagated from suckers from time
immemorial, the failure to mature its fruits was attributed to old age, in
accordance with the then popular hypothesis of the late Mr. Knight.

Subsequently, other delicate and sweet varieties have been introduced,
and they seem to be equally liable to the attacks of this disorder.

The first symptoms discoverable, is a soft or discolored spot on the surface
<)f one or more of the fruits. This rapidly extends, soon reaching all the

HORTICULTURAL JOURISrAL. 35

adjoining clusters and involving them in one common and agglutinated mass
of corruption. The surface is studded with a mould or parasitic fungus.
The surface of the mass soon desiccates and assumes a black color. For
months, and even years, it will adhere tenaciously to the limb of the tree.
This malignant and cankery action will, likewise, extend to the adjoining
bark, wood and fruit spurs ; and often either entirely destroys their vitality
or induces a sickly condition ; and little or no fruit will again set under
two or three years.

The period of time it first appears, is at the moment the fruits have at-
tained their full size and are about completing their ripening ; while the
attacks of the curculio occur much earlier, and have nearly subsided at the
time the other becomes apparent.

A few localities, even in this section of the country, seem as yet to have
escaped its ravages. It has been said, not to show itself in limestone
formations ; but, I think, facts do not sustain the assertion. Soil and
cultivation have not influenced it in any manner in my grounds. Acid
and austere varieties such as the Damsons are less subject to its attacks.

A knowledge of the pathology of a disease, whether in the animal or
vegetable kingdom, is frequently an advancement at least one half of the
way towards the discovery of a successful mode of treatment. It is, there-
fore, desirable to ascertain what is the intimate nature of this abnormal
action in the Plum.

My object in offering this article to the public, is to solicit information on
that point. At the same time, I would take the liberty to suggest my own
theory in regard to it, which, most likely, is visionary and untenable. It is
this : The elements of saccharine matter, requisite to complete the maturity
of the fruit, fail at that juncture to form their proper combinations, and
are rapidly converted into food by a parasitic Fungus, the Torula saccharina
or some kindred species.

An analogy may, perhaps, be found in two diseases of the human system,
in which misdirected nuti'ition, in one instance, furnishes the material for
tuberculous deposits, and in another, for sugar in a morbid renal secretion.

Extensive applications of lime, sulphur and water, or a strong solution of
Gas-lime to the limbs, fruits and foliage of the Plum tree, while developing
its fruits, are said in some of our Horticultural Journals, to preserve the
crop for a successful maturing ; and have been recommended as an antidote
to the curculio.

It has been a query with me whether these agents act by thwarting the
progress of that insect, or counteracting the development of the Torula.

36 THE FLORIST AND

Certain it is that sulphur and especially soap-suds, abounding -witli sulphur-
etted hydrogen, will secure the Gooseberry against the attacks of a mould
or Fungus.

Ko more successful remedy for this Plum-disease can be recommended,
from theoretical views, than showering with the aboye named articles.
Possibly a solution of lime, slaked with brine, and suffered to remain a year
before applied, might be safely and successfully used ; provided, care was
taken to weaken it down to a proper state.

East Mockport, Cuyalioga Co.^ O., Jan. 8t7i, 1855,

For the Florist.

CULTUEE OF PLANTS IN POTS.

American travellers who visit the exhibitions held under the auspices of
the Horticultural Society of London, and witness the magnificent display of
plants and flowers contributed by the best gardening talent in Britain, turn
away with feelings of regret and disappointment from the comparatively
meagre exhibitions of similar institutions in this country, unless our superior
display of fruits and other useful products more than counterbalance defi-
ciencies in other respects ; for it is admitted by all who have had an oppor-
tunity of making these comparisons, that we can far outstrip European
exhibitions in the production of fruits and vegetables, either in regard to
variety, quantity or quality ; but in the ornamental department, more espe-
cially in perfect specimens of plants displaying superior skill of cultivation
Tinder artificial treatment, we have much room for improvement.

To maintain a collection of plants in vigorous and healthy condition, in pots,
is no mean criterion of the cultivator's ability ; and when we further consi-
der that these plants, natives of various regions and climates, are placed in
one common temperature, and grown in a small portion of soil contained in
the limited space of a pot, where all their wants must be artificially supplied,
it will readily be perceived that a perfect knowledge of the laws which
govern vegetation is indispensable to their management. Combined with
this knowledge, the cultivator must have foresight to see the rationale of his
operations, and an aptness of application of the various adjuncts of cultiva-
tion. The elements of vegetable growth, and the relation they bear to each

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 37-

Other being fully understood, lie can control their action, so as to insure
various developments conducive to the purposes he has in view.

That the" plants exhibited at our horticultural meetings are so much infe-
rior, in point of high culture, to those already mentioned, does not proceed
so much from scarcity of talent on the part of practical men, as from a want
of encouragement on the part of Horticultural Societies. It is a notorious
fact, that plants showing superior cultivation rarely receive any more notice
than the most ordinary collections. Nay, more, in some instances that have
come under my personal observation, they have been silently passed and
looked upon as innovations, while a promiscuous assortment of sickly stumps
would receive high commendations for "great number and variety." I do
not mean to enter further into this matter. It is enough to state the fact in
connection with the present subject, so far as it refers to encouragement of
talent in the production of exotic flowering plants. In referring briefly to
the more essential requisites necessary to the perfect development of plants,
we will notice in order the effect of light, the relation of soil and its modifi-
cations, the influence of water, pruning, staking and shaping plants, and the
operations intimately connected with the subject.

Of all the agents of vegetation light is the principal, it is in fact the life-
sustaining property; all other requirements may be secured, but in the
absence of light no healthy growth can be made. The effects of continued
darkness upon growing plants are familiar to every one. Leaves may be
looked upon as the feeding points of the branches, as the spongioles are of
the roots. All matter drawn by the roots for nourishment undergoes a
transposition in the leaves. The processes of decomposition and elaboration
in the leaves is due to the action of light, it is the mainspring of vegetable
action, the power that operates the whole.

It will be readily understood, therefore, that in cultivating green-house
plants, the form and construction of the house will materially affect success.
Single roofed houses, with opaque backs, are not fit to produce fine speci-
mens, according to the interpretation of that term by practical gardeners.
One-sided houses are productive of one-sided plants. We may occasionally
see some enthusiastic in plant-growing elevating his embryo specimens on
temporary platforms, with a view to securing "light on all sides," but
although his attempts may be followed with success while the plants are
small, large plants cannot be preserved in that healthful symmetry of growth
when the light reaches them only on one side.

For all purposes of plant culture double or span-roofed houses are

38 THE FLORIST AND

decidedly superior, and the lighter the materials composing the structure,
the better. Heavy rafters and huge cornices must not be admitted, and
nothing of an opaque character used, further than to secure sufficient
strength. The majority of plant-houses are faulty in this respect, the
material with which they are constructed being unnecessary, heavy and
cumbrous, at once adding to the cost and diminishing the usefulness of the
building.

Many green- houses are rendered almost useless from the bad quality of
the glass used in their construction ; the waviness and inequalities of infe-
rior glass are sufficient to counteract the best efforts. An injurious amount
of shading must be resorted to, to prevent foliage from blisters and
blotches. These blisters are frequently attributed to sudden sunshines while
leaves are wet. I have never observed anything of the sort occur under
good glass ; neither do I consider it likely that it ever proceeds from that
cause, whether the glass is good or bad.

The investigations of chemists have done much of late years towards sim-
plifying cultivation. A diffused knowledge of the elements of growth and
their mode of action have also done much in improving ornamental plant
culture. Twenty years ago, receipts for growing plants were as numerous
as the plants themselves. Yague ideas were held in regard to the relation
between soil and the vegetable productions grown upon it, and mysterious
virtues were ascribed to certain mixtures of soils and manures. The intel-
ligent floriculturist of the present day considers all such complicated com-
binations as being altogether behind the age. He looks upon soil merely
as affording support to the plant, as a medium for conveying nourishment,
and where the roots have presented to them the various gases from which
they derive their principal nourishment. Viewing it in this light, he is
careful that the soil employed is of a character to offer no resistance to the
presence of these gases. He finds no necessity for the services of a chemist
to analyze the soil and ascertain its distinguishing properties, and has no
anxiety to become acquainted with its chemical constituents. He can ana-
lyze it sufficiently for his purpose at a glance, and see where and how it is
defective, and supply its wants accordingly. His scientific knowledge
teaches him that plants derive most of their food from air and water,
and his practical knowledge convinces him that few soils are deficient in
mineral ingredients, and however important the presence of certain specific
mineral matters may be for the development of certain products, he knows
that no combination of inorganic matter renders a due observance to its

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 39

physical properties unnecessary, while, on the other hand, these properties
secured, his only further inquiry is to ascertain that nothing actually inju-
rious to vegetation exists in the soil.

It has been, and still is, in many quarters, a prevalent opinion that the
majority of our finest exotics, cannot attain perfection, unless they are
planted in peaty soil. This fancy has been the greatest obstacle to im-
proved plant culture in this country. Peat is rather an indefinite term, as
expressive of soils, many kinds of widely different character and value are
classed under that general appellation. The peat used in English gardens,
and so frequently alluded to in English garden literature, is a substance
very seldom met with here. It is simply the surface taken from uncultivated
lands where the native heath and other similar plants have been growing
undisturbed for ages. Extensive tracks of this description of land are
common, where the roots of these plants have formed a surface of fibry
matter, intermixed with sand and pebbles to a considerable depth. The
surface to a few inches deep is carefully collected, and after undergoing
slight decomposition to destroy vegetation, forms the peat we read about,
and is the principal soil used in the production of these magnificent specimens
of pot culture which our horticultural editors delight in figuring, to the no
small mortification of unsuccesful gardeners and young amateurs. The
general appearance of these specimens being that of a large globe or balloon,
covered with flowers and set in a very small pot. The portrait being much
nearer perfection than the original from which it was taken.

The soil just described is, of course, quite a different thing from the de-
composed accumulations of vegetable origin, found in marshy and swampy
localities, also called peat, and used as such in the growth of plants, but
utterly unfitted to produce healthy vegetation. The proper name of this
substance is bog-mould, and is valuable in composition with lime and other
matters as a manure, but by itself is too acid and inert to afford vegetable
sustenance. When we consider the source from whence plants receive their
principal nourishment, and their mode of feeding, the advantages of a fibry
soil, such as is afforded in the English peat, is readily apparent. Nine-
tenths of the whole bulk of green vegetable matter is derived either directly
from, or through the agency of air and water. The roots, therefore, require
to be surrounded by a medium at all times permeated by these atmospheric
gases.

Soils chemically fertile have been found unproductive, because these
decomposing agencies were excluded. The soil is the laboratory of natui-e
where she prepares the food of plants ; her active agents are air and water,

40 THE FLORIST AND

and if they are excluded, the process of decay and combination are ended,
and the further growth retarded.

To be available for the use of vegetation, a soil must not only possess all
the ingredients of fertility, in a chemical sense, but its physical condition
must also be of a nature to allow a free admission of air to all its parts, as
well as admit the free extension and ramification of roots. Fibry soil pre-
sents all these conditions in an eminent degree. The organic matter of
which they are so largely composed, insures porosity, and during its gradual
decay, various gases are evolved, and inorganic matters liberated, all of
which taking place in the immediate vicinity of the roots, contributes
largely to healthy growth and development of the plants placed under such
conditions.

The superiority of peat as applied to the pot culture of plants consists in
its organic characteristics ; a soil rich in decomposing vegetable fibre is
therefore the great desideratum, no matter whether it is termed peat or
sod, and as we cannot conveniently procure the former we must be content
with the latter, which, as a substitute, is of equal value. I am aware that
this assertion will be questioned by some, but experience has proved its
truthfulness, and our most successful plant growers can corroborate the fact.
Henceforth, let there be no more lamentations about the want of peat, while
a superior article is plentiful on every common, and no longer attribute the
scarcity of Heaths, Boronias, Pimeleas and Epacrises in our green-houses to
the want of proper soil for their cultivation.

Delta.

(To be continued.)

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 41

THE YELLOWS IN THE PEACH TREE.

Dear Sir : Either your printer or my own pen made a great error in
my article on the Peach tree. I expected to see in print the statement that
"we rarely see a Peach tree stricken with the yellows on & northern slope;"
and not as it reads "on a southern aspect." While making the correction,
I beo; to add a few more remarks on this troublesome disease.

I think most of our fruit growers who have endeavored to account for this
disease have scarcely pushed their investigations far enough, and by stopping
short at vai'ious points of the examination, produced a variety of opinions,
which would have harmonized with each other if carried out to their fullest
extent. My views, therefore, are not to be placed to my own credit ; but
to be carried to the account of different writers, whose opinions I will en-
deavor merely to systematize and push into their proper places.

I have said that a Peach tree on a northern aspect is seldom afflicted by
the "Yellows," and I say seldom to avoid the appearance of dogmatic
certainty. In my own experience, I have never seen a "Yellowed" Peach
tree under this circumstance ; but I do not wish to be understood as teach-
ing that a Peach tree will not get the yellows, because it may be on a
northern slope.

• The immediate cause of the disease, I hold to be the rapid and constantly
varying action of severe frosts and warm suns on the moisture in the
branches of the Peach tree during winter, and the predisposing cause, any-
thing that tends to encourage a large supply of moisture to be stored up in
the branches, or, when so stored up, to expose it to the action of warm sun
in the winter season.

The circumstance that first set me on this train of reasoning, was a very
simple one. Some few years ago, after a severe winter, a fine specimen of
Evonymus japonicus, which for the few seasons before grew very vigorously,
pushed forth in a very weak manner. From the base, and just beneath the
surface of the ground, however, very vigorous shoots came up, so much so,
that I was several times tempted to cut the whole head entirely away, in
spite of my hopes that it would ultimately recover its crippled condition.
Towards the end of summer, the leaves lost the dark green so characteristic
of this plant, and presented a shade many times brighter than those on the
vigorous base shoots. Next year, the second from the hard winter, the
leaves were completely yellow, as much so as any Peach tree I ever saw in
such a state. The head was then cut away, and the wood examined and
found to be entirely dead, with the exception of two very thin circles of

.42 THE FLORIST AND

wood on the outside. I supposed, and, I think, without any great phylo-
logical research, any one would come to the same conclusion, that two years
previously the frost or winter had been sufficient to kill the wood, but not
the bark, or, perhaps, portions of the wood contiguous to the bark, and that
through this channel just enough sap had been drawn barely to support
existence, and send down two weak courses of wood. I do not know that
it has ever been noticed by any writer, that the bark of plants posesses
sometimes a greater power of resistance to the effects of frost than their
wood, nor, indeed, had I ever met with any circumstance that suggested
such an idea to me before ; but I think that conclusion in this case was
irresistible. With respect to the short supply of sap, such a state of things
induced, being the cause of the yellowness of the leaves, there was no room
to doubt ; because it has become an admitted principle in physiology that
the yellowness that precedes the fall of the leaf is in consequence of the
failure of the tree to supply moisture to its leaves, as in the Linden during
the comparative drought of Autumn ; or the inability of the tree to prevent
the settlement of earthy matter in their pores, by cold weather rendering
the circulation sluggish, as in the Hickory after the first white frost.

In the case of a Peach tree under the " yellows," repeated examinations
of the wood since the above observations were made, convince me that the
Peach also is a plant which will carry its bark safely through a winter severe
enough to destroy the wood which it encloses ; and that the same reduced
supply of sap produces the same identical "yellows" as in the Evonymus.
I think, moreover, that the apparently differing views of the many writers
on the subject, all lead to this view of the real nature of the disease. The
northern aspect, I have before noticed, prevents that freezing and thawing
which makes frost so very destructive to vegetation. In the last report of
the Pomological Congress, Mr. S. Feast, of Baltimore, remarks that " bad
soil is undoubtedly the cause of the yellows ;" and if in bad soil the yellows
are common, it is easily accounted for by the fact that cold, clayey soil, a
bad soil for the Peach, favors the production of watery wood, just the kind
of wood for frosts to operate injuriously upon. That the soil 'per se is not
the cause, is apparent from the fact noticed by other writers, who tell us
that the " yellows" are unknown in England, where we may reasonably sup-
pose they sometimes get into bad soil, as well as here. These latter writers
rather attribute the disease to the "luxurious growths" the Peach makes in
this country, compared with its growths European ; but, as the Osage
orange, mulberries, and many other trees, grow with such comparatively
increased "luxuriousness," this alone, neither can be a cause, while it still

HOETICULTURAL JOURNAL. 43

adds some influence in producing the watery shoots before noticed. Mr.
Saul, of Newburg, in a very interesting paper, some years ago, in the Annals
of Agriculture, gives also as his views, what, on pushing a little further,
evidently coincides with this ultimate principle, that the yellows are caused
by the action of frost on the wood. In the warm alluvial soil of Missouri,
where the Peach has an opportunity of well ripening its wood, though it
grows with equal luxuriousness to any in the Eastern States ; and also in
forcing-houses, both here and in Europe, where it often gets treated to bad
soil, and many other improper incidents to culture, the yellows are alike
unknown. In short, no other theory that I have seen advanced, or heard
of,* seems to be free from objections, while this seems to embrace and recon-
cile all the others.

Supposing this view sound, what cure would it point out for the yellows ?
None. It is incurable. The wood is diseased — dead, — cannot be renovated ;
but 'preventives are very apparent. Always plant in warm soil ; and, if
the atmosphere of the locality is in any way humid, choose an aspect not
freely exposed to the winter's sun. Or, if there be any causes leading to
late growths, or succulency, that cannot be remedied by aspect, much might
be done towards the early ripening of the wood by divesting them early of
their foliage. The two main preventives of the yellows are, 1st, early
ripening of the wood ; 2d, by guarding against bursts of hot sun on
thoroughly frozen wood, the chief cause of much injury frost has to answer
for. Melocoton.

A NEW SUGAR-CANE.

A novelty has this year appeared, in the form of a tall, reedy grass, called
Holcus saccharatus, of whose economical value we find that great expecta-
tions are entertained. What has more especially brought it into notice, is
the recent French law prohibiting the distillation of spirit from grain. A
specimen was exhibited before the Horticultural Society some weeks since,
by Mr. Ingram, who had raised it in the Royal Garden at Frogmore ; but
so little had at that time been heard of it that it attracted small attention.
Now, however, that our neighbors are actively engaged in experimenting
on its qualities, it is as well that what has been published concerning it
should be made known ; and we, therefore, give the following translation of

44 THE FLORIST AND

a paper on the subject by the distinguished French horticulturist, M. Louis
Vilmorin.

" An incorrect account of the Holcus saccharatus which I presented to
the Central Society of Agriculture, at its sitting of the 18th of January,
having appeared in the Moniteur Universel of the 20th of January, 1854,
and having thus prematurely drawn attention to this plant, attributing to it,
by an error of figures, qualities which, if they had been real, would easily
have justified the rapidity with which the article was copied into many of
the journals, in order to prevent the further propagation of these false
notions, I am now obliged to return to the notice of this plant, to which I
should not otherwise have reverted till I had more completely studied it. -

" The plant in question, which I presented to the Agricultural Society in
the name of one of its correspondents, M. Rantonnet, of Hyeres, is called
ILolcus saccharatus. It has long been known, and was even cultivated in
Italy, in the beginning of the present century ; but whether owing to the
methods of extraction known at that time being not sufficiently good to be
used with advantage, or that the variety was not so rich in saccharine pro-
ducts as that which we now possess, its cultivation was abandoned.

" Four years ago, M. de Montigny, the French Consul at Shanghae, sent
to the Geographical Society a collection of seeds, among which were some
labelled ' Sugar-Cane of the North of China.' The seeds were liberally dis-
tributed by the Greographical Society, and this year I had in cultivation a
small lot which I had received from one of my correspondents in Champagne,
M. Ponsard, of Omey. The plant is the same, botantically, as the Holcus
saccharatus formerly cultivated by L. Arduino, and the letter of M. Ean-
tonnet, by which I was entrusted to present it in his name to the Agricultural
Society, has enabled me to trace the source of this new introduction to the
collection of seeds forwarded by M. de Montigny. The way in which the
plants were obtained being thus regularly established, I may now state the
nature of the carefully conducted experiments to which they were sub-
jected.

" One stem, weighing 6,944 grains, gave on the first trial, made October
13th, 231J grains of limpid juice, with no other flavor than that of sugar
and water. The juice obtained from the whole stem yielded 10.8 per cent.
of its weight of sugar.

" Another trial, made with the saccharometer, Nov. 28th, gave results
varying from 14.6 to 13.8 per cent of sugar ; I have ascertained that the
proportion of sugar decreases in the successive internodes or joints, from the
base upwards, those at the base and middle being the most sugary.

HOETICULTURAL JOURNAL. 45

" I have only had in cultivation some square yards of our Sorghum (Hol-
cus saccharatus), in rather poor garden soil, and in the vicinity of trees
unfavorable for it. In that situation, however, there were about twenty
stems per square metre, or more than 17 per square yard, and of sufficient
weight for the extraction of juice ; this would be at the rate of 3 kilo-
grammes of juice per square metre, or 30,000 per hectare, or 27,180 lbs. per
acre ; and estimating the quantity of sugar at 10 per cent, of the juice, the
produce per acre would be 2,718 lbs. of sugar, which is much more than the
average produce of Beet-root.

"According to these corrected figures, there is a probability that the
plant in question may prove worth cultivation ; but several years' trial will
doubtless be necessary before we can ascertain whether it will really answer
in a commercial point of view.

" The plant bears much analogy to the Maize, and is similarly cultivated;
that is to say, by sowing in rows or in patches, in the open ground, from the
middle of April to the end of May."

Such was the information existing in France in the beginning of the pre-
sent year ; since which we have seen no authentic report of further experi-
ments ; for the announcement in the Gazette de France^ and copied into
other journals, that this " Chinese Sugar-Cane" produces 30,000 kilos an
acre more than Beet, is undeserving notice. We understand, however, that
the plant is attracting great attention among the Continental distillers, in
consequence of its richness in sugar, and the extraordinary purity of its
juice.

Whether it will be of value in this country depends upon three circum-
stances as yet unascertained ; 1, Whether our climate is warm enough for
it ; 2, Whether the Excise-laws will permit its use for distillation ; and 3,
Whether its refuse can be utilised. Upon all these points we must wait for
further explanation ; it will, however, be easy to determine them next year,
for we understand that a certain quantity of the seed is likely to come into
our market in a week or two. — G-ard. Qhron.

THE MANGOSTEEN.

Among what are usually thought 'uncuTtivable plants the Mangosteen was
once pre-eminent. Indian gardeners pronounced it hopeless to attempt its
growth beyond the hot and damp Indian Archipelago. In Bengal it perishes.
When it was first brought over, some thirty years ago, all the seedlings

46 THE FLORIST AND

quickly died, although placed in the care of different gardeners at that time
standing high in their business. Even when carried to Surinam, the moist
and warm climate of which was expected to agree with it, still the attempt
to make it even live was a failure.

Nevertheless the high reputation borne by the Mangosteen continued to
lead to further trials. Of all known fruits it is the pride of the countries
to which it exclusively belongs, and seems to meet the approbation of per-
sons of the greatest diversity of taste in other matters. In shape and size
the fruit resembles a middle-sized Apple ; but has a thick dark purple or
brownish red rind, which is hard on the outside but soft and succulent within.
This encloses three or four cloves consisting of a soft semi-transparent
snow-white pulp, which is the part eaten, or rather sucked, for it dissolves
in the mouth. Its characteristic quality is extreme richness of flavor,
without being luscious or cloying ; and it may be eaten in any moderate
quantity without danger of surfeit or other unpleasant effects. Dr. Abel,
speaking of it, says that he and his companions were anxious to carry away
with them some precise expression of its flavor, but after satisfying them-
selves that it partook of the compound taste of the Pine-apple and the
Peach, they were obliged to confess that it had many other equally good
but utterly inexpressible flavors.

The word impossible has of late years been generally struck out of gar-
dening books ; and certainly in the case of the Mangosteen, it has proved
to be wholly inapplicable, for it is well known that both in the tropical fruit-
house at Syon, preserved with such great care by the Duke of Northumber-
land, and at Leigh Park, in Sir George Staunton's stoves, the plant has for
several years continued to remain in the most perfect health. We are now
able to announce, with great satisfaction, that the care and skill with which
it has been treated have been at last rewarded; and that first at Syon, and
then at Leigh Park, the plants have produced their flowers — for the first
time, we believe, out of the western portion of the Malay Archipelago.
We are unacquainted with the precise circumstances which led to this grati-
fying event at Leigh Park, but we are enabled, by the favor of his Grace
the Duke of Northumberland, to publish the following very satisfactory
account of the cultivation at Syon and its lesults, drawn up by Mr. John
Ivison, to whom belongs the honor of having achieved the first success.

"The Mangosteen plant now fruiting at Syon, and another about the
same size, were brought from Calcutta by Capt. White in 1833, and were
most probably forwarded to the late Dr. Wallich while superintendent of
the botanic garden there. Both plants were very small when they arrived;
they were placed in a warm stove, and were permitted to remain in the soil

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 47

in the case in which they we^e imported until they began to grow ; after
that they were potted in turfy loam and white sand, well drained, and were
plunged into a bark bed. When they became too tall for that situation,
they were removed to the tropical-house, where they increased rapidly in
size, making two growths regularly every season. They were shifted into
larger pots or tubs as they appeared to require it, until about three years
ago, when the plant now bearing fruit was placed in a tub three feet square,
and his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, thinking it had become large
enough to fruit, caused a partition to be made in the tropical-house and a
space to be wholly set apart for the Mangosteens, in which bottom-heat of
from 80° to 90° could be maintained by means of hot-water tanks running
alongside the tubs in which the largest plant was growing, and the soil in
which another was planted out. An atmospheric temperature, ranging from
65° to 90°, was at the same time kept up, together with a continual supply
of fresh air from cold air drains which crossed the house, and discharged
themselves amongst the hot-water pipes at the back, on which water in pans
kept continually evaporating abundance of moisture. Under these con-
ditions, and by means of shading in bright weather, and giving plenty of
water when the plants were growing, they made a most vigorous growth
two years ago, since which time they have apparently been preparing for
flowering, having only made one growth in a season with much shorter-
jointed wood and smaller leaves, and the shoots which have now produced
flowers have remained stationary since last October twelvemonth. The first
flowers expanded on the 18th of November last; the petals fell off the
following day, and the fruit, which almost immediately began to swell, is
now the size of a Greengage Plum, with every appearance of arriving at
perfection. At the present time there are four fruit swelling, and one
flower has been taken off for botanical examination. The plant is about
fifteen feet high, nine feet in diameter, and the stem six inches in circum-
ference. The flowers were about two inches in diameter, and the petals
brownish red shaded with yellow."

Whether these fruits will prove to have really set is uncertain. When
the flowers expanded the anthers appeared to be destitute of pollen ; a camel-
hair pencil was, nevertheless, drawn carefully among the anthers, and then
applied to the stigma, in the hope that a few particles of pollen might
lurk among the anthers, although invisible to the eye. Possibly this was
the case ; possibly the fruit was set before the flowers expanded ; possibly
the fruit may still drop off. But, in the meanwhile, we are informed that
it presents no symptoms whatever of being otherwise than in the most per-
fect state that could be desired. — G-ard. Chron.

48 THE FLOEIST AND

SARRACENIAS.

The culture of the Sarracenia, or American Pitcher-plant, is by some
considered difficult, but the principal if not the only reason why these plants
are not more frequently to be met with, is more to be attributed to the
small share of pra<;tical attention they have hitherto received than to the
uncultivable nature of the plants themselves. It is a mistake to imagine
that any temperature, however genial, will induce the roots of Sarracenias
to penetrate, like those of Heaths, such a solid compost as peat and sand,
or that the plants will grow or even live treated like aquatics, and sub-
merged in a hothouse tank. Early in March they should be potted into
6-inch pots, using for composts turfy lumps of peat, sphagnum, and pots-
herds in equal parts. Care must be taken to keep the crowns well up from
the soil. The pots should be placed on the platform in a shady part of the
stove. As soon as the plants begin to start each pot should be surmounted
with a bell-glass ; glasses with an aperture in the top would free the plants
from the presence of too much moisture, otherwise the plants will suffer
from damp ; and as in nine cases out of ten Sarracenias are destroyed
through damp, it will be above all things necessary that especial attention
be paid to this direction. Do not place the pots in those minature cess-
pools called saucers, but water the plants while growing, daily, on the sur-
face. The object in using bell-glasses is to induce the plants to break
freely, and when they are all fairly started the glasses may be gradually
dispensed with. Both the foliage and the pitchers will be produced in much
better color, and grow considerably stronger without the glasses than with
them. Do not darken the glass immediately over the plants ; for although
Sarracenias while growing delight in a humid atmosphere, they do not like
it darkened. The plants should therefore have all the light possible, but
no sun. Sarracenias may also be grown in the most shady part of the
greenhouse or conservatory ; but, in this case, the bell-glasses should not
be removed until after the plants have done growing — in other respects the
treatment will be the same. The situation best suited for preserving
Sarracenias during winter is on a shelf, well up in the light, in the least
airy part of the greenhouse ; while there the plants should be sparingly
watered. E. Miles.

In Gard. Chron.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 49

THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND.

Action is the mechanism by ■which Horticulture moves, while foresight
is the motive power ; and taking this view of the subject at the present time,
it appears necessary that we should arouse that mental activity which will
shortly be needed, that we may be prepared for the physical in due time;
and here, by the way, are some sober thoughts and judicious calculations
needed for the guidance of our future prospects. To those who are con-
tented to go along in the old fashion, who wake by the same influence that
disturbs the Dormouse, these observations will be of no use, but we may
now be pleased to know that such inaction is only a rare exception to the
general rule, and must as a matter of course, sooner or later, become
obsolete. Horticulture is now becoming a recognized fashionable feature
amongst the utilitarian state of society in which we live, and this hold upon
the general mind, as it becomes more and more developed, will be sure to
lead to the universal practical calculation of our people, which of itself is
sufficient to promote progress in all that will pay; but, we are strongly dis-
posed to believe that there is a greater desire each season, to appreciate the
beautiful, and to take an increasing pleasure in the well laid out and neatly
kept garden ; but to the point. We started with the intention of making a
few remarks upon the flower garden and pleasure ground, with regard to
improvement and intended alterations.

In the first place, how is the lawn? Are there any inequalities in the sur-
face, coarse weeds to pull out, or bare spots to cover over by fresh turf or
seed ? If so, when the frost breaks up, smooth down by removing the upper
crust and filling up or lowering underneath, as the case may require, and
afterwards laying down again, when all should be well rolled or beaten
down while the ground is yet soft. A good mixture of seed for this purpose
is, Red Top, Kentucky Blue G-rass, and White Dutch Clover.

What is the form of the flower bed ? Do the outlines, size, and various
positions, produce the desired eff'ect, and harmonize with the surrounding
precincts ? If not, sketch a plan for improvement. Nothing gives more
pleasure or greater dissatisfaction to a well organized mind, as it scans over
and expects to find the harmony of efi'ect, than to see a medley of incongrui-
ties ; multum in parvo is a bad maxim here : a few judiciously formed,
easily undulating, and well placed flower beds along side of the walks, and
bordering at intervals a surface of grass, will always be more in keeping
with the eye of good taste, than a crowding and breaking up of the whole ;
of course there are modified exceptions, as for instance, a purposely designed

4

50 THE FLORIST AND

flower garden, but even in this case tliere is a possibility of error. It may
be so situated as to give a glare of varied color over the whole place, and
hence become obnoxious by subduing the effect of everything else ; while
good arrangement would have located it in a spot by itself, ready of access,
and seen to the greatest advantage from the most suitable positions.
Whatever is attempted in these matters, ought never to disturb the general
harmony of individual details, or destroy the effect of other parts, and if a
place be small, it is much better to have one grand feature, than to be
dabbling with a list of each, producing nothing, and cramping up every
thing.

In making preparation for improvement, some attention ought to be given
to the arrangement of flowering plants. Those of large and coarse habits,
never look v^ell in small, or lightly formed beds, while if the same be trans-
ferred to the shrubbery, or formed into heavy masses, away from the near
vicinity of the promenade paths, they are seen to advantage, and often
present a noble appearance. On the other hand, finelj^ colored and delicate
flowers are better seen, and their peculiar characteristics displayed, when
more immediately near the eye ; the more humble growers too, ought to be
the nearest to the edges, and those of higher dimensions in the centre, thus,
each is allowed to show itself in the best manner, and contribute its individu-
al portion to the aggregate assemblage, and collective splendor of the whole.
The various colors also ought not to be lost sight of, for however perfect all
other parts may be, there is a deficiency in the general effect when this is
neglected. I do not wish to dictate in such things, as everybody has his
or her own likings, and according to the individual notion of each, may and
often do think, that such trifles are of no import, and that all ought to be
left to their own fancy ; but apart from such considerations, and allowing
for the full control of individual taste, we must take higher views, and look
from artistic eminence. There are some landscape painters who excel
others, in their more beautiful light and shade ; in the striking and pleasing
contrast, or the soft and complementary blending of the various parts,
which collectively form a whole. The comparative perfection is here
acknowledged, and receives popular praise or censure, according as the
subject is more or less forcibly depicted, and shows its excellence or defi-
ciency to the inherent principle of discernment possessed by the human
mind. Now if such is generally accepted, when landscape is only repre-
sented on canvas, it is surely as important, to say the least of it, that the
same should be allowed when we work with nature's material. It is a
great part of our study, to bring together a multiplicity of her greatest

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 51

beauties, to receive the enjoyment of lier wonderful organism, as exhibited
in the delicately colored petal, the graceful form of the bending branch, or
the neutral tint of the emerald leaf, and it must be evident, that without a
due observance of this important fact, we only grope in the dark, and
cannot produce that finish, or realize the pleasure that a well directed idea
can accomplish. To come to a more practical exposition, we do not wish
to advocate any established rule ; we have seen, during a long progress in
this line, tables made out for the arrangement of colors in flower gardens,
that looked very well so long as they were marked on a surface like a chess-
board ; such may do in theory, and lead the mind on to appreciate the right
direction, but practically, they can only be carried out to a certain extent ;
however " the eye" may be " kept on the corporal," and if we do not obtain
the sum total of such examples, a great deal may be done towards it ; and
how to do so, is the next consideration. A pleasing effect may be gained in
one or both of two ways, either by contrast or a complementary blending of
shade ; for instance, a white in juxtaposition with a scarlet or crimson, is so
by contrast ; while the former, in conjunction with a light pink or lavender,
harmonizes by the near approach, as it were, of co-relative blending ; fix a
bright yellow alongside a cobalt blue, and the brilliancy of both are neutral-
ized, from the simple fact that, if really combined, a green would be the
result ; but place the latter near a clear pink, and both are more intense ;
and in this way we might go on enumerating examples almost without
limit.

Now Mr. Editor, this brings me to the point of thinking that such delicate
and finely drawn definitions, could be much better handled by the ladies..
Certainly amongst your numerous readers, there is a number of the fair sex^
who I am certain, could give us plodding practical bunglers a few lessons
upon these subjects. Their quicker reflective powers, and more perceptive-
comparisons, are much better qualified to describe such nice discriminations :
such portraitures of their own organism. Why do we not have more of
their assistance ? If they were confined to the Turkish Harem, there might
be an excuse for passing life away on the downy sofa, reading exciting and
voluptuous novels, but in a free country like ours, neither beau, husband,
father, or the public, would think the worse of them, for helping along such
desirable movements. They can describe most accurately the various tints
of silks and muslin, and criticise to a nicety, forms of dress, and why not
bestow a portion of the same ingenuity upon their own natural emblems —
the flowers ?

No garden is perfect without a due proportioii of shrubbery, and it is

52 THE FLORIST AND

well now to forecast what alterations are needed, that the work may go along
in good earnest, when the winter's severity milds. It is not the mere
crowding together of a lot of bushes of various kinds, that gives a satisfactory
result in the immediate vicinity of a dwelling; such does well enough in the
tangled copse or the natural wood, but here we want an improved view, a
softening down, that all may be in complete keeping with art and skill; and
in order to produce such an effect, each subject, whether it stands alone on
the lawn, or becomes a counterpart in the shrubbery, ought to have room
enough to form a natural outline. Let each occupy its own place and
position, have the tall growers in the back ground, that the smaller ones
may show to advantage, and do not plant any of them so near to the walk
as to interfere with the general character, or be in the way of every lady's
dress skirt as she travels along, or glides around the inclined curve.

It is quite lamentable, to see the many examples all over the country,
where the most beautiful shrubs and trees are rendered uninviting, and even
at times become an eye-sore, simply from the want of attention, at first
planting, to- their respective habits, modes of growth, and the height they
will eventually attain. Frequently is it the case, that a large timber tree
■of the most symmetrical growth, is placed so near the house, that its outline
is nowhere to be seen, excepting at the outside of the premises, and even
then, it is only distinguished by stretching its neck, like a drowning man to
get a little air ; while the low growing shrub is either smothered along side
of it, or removed to the outside boundary, and if you would see anything
particularly interesting in either, you must go to the extremes of or beyond
the limits of your own property. It was but the other day that I was in
the garden of a gentleman, who has very praiseworthily kept up with the
new and fine introductions, in the way of hardy shrubs and trees, but who
has fallen into the common mistake of planting indiscriminately, and crowding
the greater portion near to the house, for the purpose of rendering them
more conspicuous. Now what is the consequence? Little else can be seen but
a peep up, and through the centres ; instead of the vision resting upon the
graceful or picturesque outlines, or the elegant flowers, you look upon a
multitude of half decayed branches, and have to be contented with worse
than a stare at vacancy. Now on the same place is a very extensive lawn,
and some ugly features outside the premises that are exposed to view, and
which by a judicious formation of belts or clumps might have been hid by
these same subjects ; yet there are the nuisances, only shut out by the
exclusiveness of this regiment of upright poles and cross branches, and
which prohibit the inmates of the house from all pleasure of seeing the

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 53

beautiful in a tree, the varied hues of the flowery parterre, or the enlivening
and sight-strengthening shade of the green grass lawn, unless they take the
reverse portion of the parlor window, and walk to the opposite parts of the
grounds. It only requires a moment's reflection to conceive, what a hetero-
geneous confusion is the result of such a case, and how much of the present
disappointment might have been avoided, if more attention had been bestow-
ed upon the habits and relative capacity of each specimen, by having placed
them in positions, from which their various pretensions to regard, could
have been seen to advantage. Now is the time to forecast these prelimi-
naries, and a little thought ahead may save much after vexation.

A few words may not be out of place with respect to the indiscriminate
disposition of evergreens amongst deciduous shrubs and trees, and that, too,
often without any regard to the habits of the closest neighbors ; fancy a
rigid pyramidal silver fir, fixed in close proximity with a naked branched
weeping willow, reminding one of a starched dandy, and lamenting hypo-
condriacism, struggling shoulder to shoulder ; yet each individually, or in
company with others more closely related, and planted in proper places are
beautiful objects, and would give most pleasing sensations. Again, the
Japan Euonymus or the Tree Box, of more humble growth, may be seen
standing in full dress amongst nakedness, and appearing as if they were
only accidental residents ; while an increased numher of their own kind, in
association with others of similar character, would form a most lively feature
in the way of masses, or as undulating boundaries to the lawn, and which
would not only be a great improvement, but assist in stripping old Boreas
of half his terrors around the country dwelling.

January 2M. Wm. Chorlton.

54 THE FLORIST AND

WELLINGTONIA GIGANTEA.

Dear Sir: In the last number of "Hovey's Magazine" (January, 1855,)
wlncli a friend has just placed in my hands, there is an article in reference
to this plant from a gentleman in California, with additional remarks by the
editor, which, I think, the "Florist," as the organ of the Botanical portion
of the American Horticultural public, ought not to pass by in silence.

The gentleman writes : "Mr. Lobb, collector for Messrs. Veitch & Co.,
of Exeter, England, discovered these trees in 1850, and sent specimens. Now,
sir, an American trapper or hunter first discovered the trees in 1848 ; his
name is Dow. Therefore, I take the liberty of naming this mammoth tree
of the world, WasJiingtonia gigantea ! ! The italics are my own. Mr.
Hovey prefaces this with : " Mr. Lobb called it the Wellingtonia, claiming
that right, we presume, as the first discoverer of the tree. Against this
assumption of authority in taking on the names of European heroes to the
grandest of American trees, we seriously protested, even if Mr. Lobb did
actually first' discover it ; and we proposed, as the proper name, should it
prove to he a distinct genus, the only appropriate and just title to such a
specimen of American vegetation, that of the father of his country, Washing-
ton. After this, we hope no American at least, will adopt any other than
our name of Washingtonia."

It is so evident that this mode of bringing out the new genus Washingtonia,
Hovey, is intended for Buncombe, that it would be idle to remonstrate, were
it not for the evil impression such playfulness is apt to make on the minds
of our botanical cousins across the channel. We want to assure them that
Mr. Hovey does not really believe that the first discoverer of a plant claims
the right to name it ; but that that right is only claimed and legitimately
used by that botanist who first describes and proves by his botanical researches,
that the plant is new. Mr. Hovey also knows, that Lindley is the Botanist
who first described and proved its individuality from other genera ; that
Lindley named it Wellingtonia, and that under all botanical laws Lindley
had a perfect right to do so. Whether, or not, the name was a judicious one,
is another question, which I, for one, am decidedly inclined to answer in the
negative ; and I sincerely regret that any botanist should so truckle to
political rank and social position as to disgrace the nomenclature of his
favorite science, by associating with it the name of one, who, by no one action
of his life, rendered the slightest service to either science or humanity. Still
he, Lindley, was not without precedents, either in his own career or that of
other botanists, his predecessors. His naming of another American plant the

HORTICULTUKAL JOURNAL. 55

"Victoria," might be deemed as much an outrage on our pat — riotism, as
"Wellingtonia;" "Her most Gracious Majesty" having no more claims on
the respect of botanists, as botanists, that I am aware of, than the "Iron
Duke," himself. But it seems a weakness to which many botanists are
liable, at times. A Prussian Botanist, long ago, endeavored to set up a
genus allied to the Horse Chestnut, under the name of Wellingtonia, without
Mr. Hovey's or any other person's objection to the name ; and Beauvois and
Jussieu agreed in naming an African iplsbnt N^apoleonea, after "their beloved
Emperor," without the expression of any disapprobation from the "trappers "
of Sierra Leone.

Were I to feel justified in drawing up any protest, it would be against the
use of all such names in botanical science. She should be made to reward
her own votaries, before wasting her pearls before swine. Presidents,
generals, peers, and scions of royalty, should be measured by the patronage
and encouragement they afford her, and be received as a citizen into "the
republic of botany," on no other terms. I look on our Torreyas and
Grayias, Muhlenbergias, Bartramias, Bartonias, Shortias, Darlingtonias,
Ellisias, Purshias, Rafinesquias, Nuttalias, Wisterias, and so on innu-
merably, as amongst the greatest trophies of American botany.

Mr. Hovey knows that the only chance of preventing our fine trees or
plants from being named by European botanists to suit their own political
tastes or patriotic whims, is, not for us to propose that "should this plant
prove to be a distinct genus," it "ought to be named this or that," but so
to raake of ourselves students of botany, that we can say, " This is distinct
from all kown genera, in such particular respects, — that shall be its name;"
then should any of us propose a Washingtonia, it will be as universally
acceded to, as Barton's Jeffersonia has been by the whole world.

In conclusion, we can assure our English friends, that Mr. Hovey knows
as well as any other person, that in botany, as under any other condition,
"Knowledge is power," and that one of the greatest evils of the times is
that "multiplication of names," which makes both the pursuits of the botanist
and horticulturist very often subject to annoyances and vexation.

Pennsylvanicus.

We read the article in Hovey's Magazine above alluded to, but put it by,
with the simple remark to ourself,

" Risum teneatis, amici."

Ed. Florist.

56

THE FLORIST AND

ANCHOR-BUDDING.

BY PROFESSOR CHAS. G. PAGE, M. D.

To the species of budding shown in the figures and described below, I
have given the name of anchor-budding, from the resemblance of the form
of the incisions to the shape of an anchor. It had its origin in the difficulty
which I have often encountered in entering a bud in the T mode of budding,
especially where the shield of the bud was very tender. When the shield is
strong, or the wood is not removed from it, if the wings of raised bark on
the stock in T budding do not stand out or open sufficiently, the shield of
the bud serves as a wedge to push them open for its entrance. Tender buds,
however, are often ruined in this way, and their insertion is very awkward,
especially when we have not the advantage of the foot-stalk of a leaf for a
handle. The anchor-budding admits the insertion of the most tender buds
with the greatest ease and no risk of injury. Rivers, of England, recom-
mends in his treatise on the Rose a mode of budding peculiar to himself. It
differs from the common T budding, in making the cross-cut oblique to the
vertical cut, thus < His object is to prevent the stem from breaking off,
which is more likely to happen with a horizontal than with an oblique cut.
The anchor-budding, which consists of two oblique cuts, upwards, meeting

the- vertical cuts, as in Fig. 1, combines this with its principal advantage of
easy insertion of the bud. It is obvious that the oblique cuts, in conjunction
with the vertical cut, leave the upper ends or angles of the wings narrow and
yielding ; and in consequence, they spring or curl out at once^ and make

HOETICULTURAL JOURNAL. 57

abundance of room for the insertion of the bud. GKiis is "well illustrated in
Fig. 2, and when the angles a a are very acute, the wings will stand out so
far that the bud may almost be dropped in place. It takes a little more
time to make two oblique cuts than one cross-cut, but it saA^es time in the
end, if the bark of the stock is very thick or the buds are very tender. I
have tried this mode satisfactorily, and am inclined to think that the buds
take better than in the T mode. This may be due to the extended line for
the descending sap surrounding the shield of the bud, and facilitating its
union with the stock.

Washington, D. C, January 24, 1855.

STUDIES ON THE ORCHIDS.

The amateurs, who date for a little more than twenty years, have seen
appear in Belgium the first collection of tropical Orchids, and we doubt
whether any of them can forget the deep impression made by the first speci-
mens alive and flourishing of this fantastic tribe. It was not only the
unaccustomed form, the singular appearance of these plants, the elegant
grotesquesness of their infloresC'ence, so delicate, fine, aerial, so singular
and monstrous in aspect, imitating completely the flight of insects, of butter-
flies, of birds of another world, which, perhaps, they seemed to recognize ;
their size and the brilliancy of their colors, so strong and so delicate ; it was
not only those new perfumes, whose sweet strength seemed to have in it
something wild and primitive ; besides all these floral splendors, which are
rarely afi"orded to the admirer, there was for the studious amateur, an
interest and an attraction not less powerful in the out of the way nature and
the entirely unexpected kind of life of these aerial plants, created to live
without touching the earth, suspended on the trunks and branches of trees,
under the dense shade of virgin forests, cradled and nourished at the same
time by the warm and moist winds of the torrid zone.

Nothing in our northern climates gives an idea of this airy vegetation,
and our hot-houses with their dry air, burning with the sun, cannot but be
mortal to them. The introduction of tropical Orchids overtm-ned the re-
ceived ideas in horticulture and disconcerted all routine ; it also raised that
deaf and blind opposition which attaches itself to everything which is new,
and which staggers inertia and exposes ignorance. It was a horticultural
revolution which prepared and which should not stop short of the reform of

58 THE FLORIST AND

all the old culture of hot-houses. Meanwhile, the Orchids presented to all

a host of problems without solution ; it was only doubts and mysteries and
piquant researches which agitated the choicer amateurs; not that infantile
and vulgar curiosity which stops at the surface of things, but a noble desire
to know, to increase intelligence, and to penetrate further into the knowledge
of the works of God.

Under this pregnant impulse, the fortune of the Orchids, for awhile
doubtful, soon made a rapid advance, which has not since diminished, and
a judicious imitation of the processes of nature has served as a base for a
rational culture, which experience progressively tends to make perfect.
Living Orchids were still very rare in Europe, their multiplication very slow,
and their price, generally, very high ; it was therefore necessary, to satisfy
the impatience of amateurs, to procure them from their native country.
Numerous collectors devoted themselves to these rough and perilous re-
searches. It was no longer learned persons devoted to classifications and
systems, neither was it men without instruction, obscure workers of progress,
for it was not- only necessary to introduce plants, but the art of making
them live in our green-houses, and all the physical conditions of the natural
existence must be taught. At once, learned and practical, naturalists and
cultivators, physicians, geologists, the new collectors should study in every
aspect tropical nature, note with care the station of plants, their mode of
existence, the medium in which they were placed, the altitude of localities,
the state of the atmosphere, the climate and its extreme and mean tempera-
ture, &c., &c. Let us be grateful for so many journeys courageously
undertaken, laboriously and energetically pursued in the midst of sufferings,
privations and dangers without number, and let us not forget the names of
Linden, Galeotti, Van Houtte, Ghiesbrecht, Funck, Libon, and of so many
others whose works have done honor to Belgium.

Much is still wanting before everything can be said concerning the far off
and little accessible regions where the Epiphytal Orchids grow. If exact
and concientious observers have described them to us more or less completely,
others have contributed, by a culpable carelessness, to give credit to. errors
and to make that considered a rule which is but the exception. In fact,
and especially in England, where powerful interests and the custom of
voyages beyond the sea put these ideas at the disposal of whoever will, we
must admit, that the majority of cultivators of tropical plants do not know
how to separate the true from the false in that which is written and said
about the places whence they come, and scarcely give themselves the trouble
to do so. Meanwhile, to understand Orchids well, and to appreciate pro-

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 59

perly the value of the processes of culture which are recommended, and to
apply them judiciously or to modify them according to circumstances, it is
necessary to represent as well as possible the privileged countries in which
they grow ; to see them at least in thought, in their natural situations and
in the general and special conditions of life for which the Creator has
endowed them with an especial organization. Horticulture is no longer a
routine, we cannot proceed at hazard and grope along ; it is a science whose
laws are those of nature itself, and the study of nature is an essential con-
dition of success in it.

We will try to abridge for our readers these long and often difficult
researches, in relating the ideas scattered through the best accounts of
voyages, and those which we gathered from the conversations of some of
the distinguished men whom we have quoted above.

I. The Country of Orchids.

The family of the Orchidese is one of the largest and widest spread which
our globe contains. Except in those desolate regions where winter rages
almost without intermission, there is scarcely a country, isolated though it
may be, which does not spontaneously produce some interesting individuals
of this great family. However, whatever may be the merit of many Orchids
of northern regions, it is evident that in proceeding from the north to the
south, in going from the frozen to the temperate zone, and thence to the
intertropical countries, the beauty, size and showiness of the species, taken
all together, increases, as does their number, with temperature of places, and
especially with the intensity of the light and the atmospheric humidity.

Another phenomenon is produced as we approach the warmest portion of
the globe, at some degrees north or south of the tropics ; that far, the
Orchids, following the most general law of vegetation, implant themselves
in the ground and there collect their nourishment, under some special
conditions, however, but hardly have they attained the fruitful regions,
which a vertical sun floods with light and heat, than they quit, for the most
part, their terrestial habitatioits, and disdaining to creep, fix themselves on
living or dead trees, and suspend themselves by lining the slits of the bark
with their roots, and thus go through all the phases of their life without
touching the earth, without borrowing anything from it, collecting from the
air which surrounds them, from the moisture with which it is impregnated,
without doubt also from the gas which the great work of decomposition and
assimilation in virgin forests disengages, the elements of that vegetation

60 THE FLORIST AND

wbich is termed eyipTiytal, and wliicli we i!?ust be careful not to confound
with, the parasitic existence of certain vegetables whose roots pump up from
under the bark the sap of living trees, as our Orchids demand nothing but a
solid resting place and a shelter.

In the limits where epiphytal Orchids are met, that is, within the tropics
and a little beyond them, hardly farther, we think, than 30 degrees north
or south, latitude are found the warmest parts of our globe ; the coasts and
the low regions generally, are exposed to heat which European races can
hardly support. However, the coasts and the provinces which border on it
have been known and explored a long time before the more moderate parts
which occupy the interior of the large continents of Asia and America ;
and it was along the coast or at a little distance from it, that the first
Orchids, on which the patience of European cultivators was exercised, were
gathered. It was from that was originated and propagated the idea, in
most cases erroneous, that Orchids do not prosper, except under the in-
fluence of excessive temperatures.

It is undoubtedly true that some Orchids are found near the ocean and
almost on its shore, and that even under the equator, whose torrid heats
they endure, thanks to the excessive moisture and thick shade of some low
valleys, deep and watered. Yet this is only an exception, especially in
America. In Asia, where the torrid part of the continent is suddenly
broken off, on the south by the ocean, on the north by the highest mountains
on the globe, and where climatic conditions are subject to the influence of
this disposition, there are some races of Orchids, of powerful vegetation and
splendid appearance, which inhabit extremely warm, but extremely moist
forests of the lower parts of Hindostan, of the Malayan peninsula, of Java,
Sumatra, Borneo, Lugon, New Guinea, the Molluccas, &c. I think that I
can, however, afiirm : 1st. That in Asia, as in America, the number of
species which live a little above the shore of the sea is much less than that
of the species which inhabit the mountains and the plains of mean altitude.
2d. That in Asia, the genera and species which flourish in the most burning
districts, are not more numerous than in America, in the same conditions.
In either continent, it is the regions sufficientiy elevated to enjoy a temperate
climate, which are by far the richest in genera and species.

(To be continued.)

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 61

ANGELONIA GRANDIFLORA.

Editor of the Florist :

Dear Sir : Can any of your readers inform me whether this plant, as
noticed in the last "Florist," is the same thing as A. G-ardneriana, which I
possess, or whether it is very distinct from it ? The one I have is such a
fine border flower with me, that I am predisposed in favor of any of the
tribe if sufficiently distinct. It does not seem any way injured by the
severest drought when growing in the open border, and luxuriates even in
proportion to the intensity of the sun's heat. The fine blue flowers continue
the whole of the season, to adorn the flower garden, and the delicate fra-
grance of the leaves when lightly rubbed, almost equals that of the Aloyzia.
It is as readily killed by frost as the Heliotrope, but plants rooted early in
fall can be preserved through the winter in any dry situation, but a few
degrees above freezing point. Dampness seems to destroy them more
readily than any other injury. I deem it one of the best of border plants.

•January 19i7i, 1855. P.

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Deeemher VdtJi, 1854. — The Stated meeting of the Society was held in
the saloon of the Assembly Buildings this evening.

The President in the chair.

The following premiums were awarded :

By the Committee on Plants and Flowers. — Basket of Cut Flowers, for
the best, to Jerome Graff, gardener to C. Cope ; for the second best pair of
hand Bouquets, to the same ; and a premium of three dollars to the same
for a plant of Angrceeum hilobum, shown in bloom for the first time. They
noticed a leaf and flower of Nymphcea coerulea, shown for the first time.

Pears.— For the best, to Isaac B. Baxter. Apples. — For the best, to
E. A. Vickroy, of Johnstown, Pa. ; and a special premium of one dollar to
W. V. Pettitt, for fine specimens of the Niles Pear.

Vegetables. — For the best display by a market gardener, to A. L. Felton ;
and a special premium of two dollars to Mark Hill, gardener to M. W.
Baldwin, for a fine display of Lettuce, Radishes, and Cucumbers; and

62 THE FLORIST AND

another of one dollar to Wm. Thompson, gardener to John Tucker, for two
fine Cucumbers.

The Treasurer submitted his semi-annual statement of accounts, which
was read and referred.

The Library Committee presented their annual Report, in which they
stated that twenty- eight volumes had been bought since the last report, and
that six had been presented ; and that five dollars had been paid by members
for fines. They also alluded to the fire which occurred on the evening of
the 5th day of July last, and destroyed the Philadelphia Museum building, .
in which the Library was kept ; but they were pleased to congratulate the
Society in its preservation ; that some eighteen books were Jost in the
removal, but the underwriters had paid for the same.

The Committee for establishing Premiums, reported a schedule for the
year 1855, which being read, duly considered and amended, was adopted.

Members Elected. — John Tatum, Charles E. Davies, Samuel A. Bispham
and Charles Sutherland.

Objects JExliibited.

By Jerome Grafi", gardener to Caleb Cope. — A plant of Angroecum bilo-
bum, and cut flower and leaf of Ni/mphcea coerulea, for the first time shown ;
a basket of cut flowers, and two hand Bouquets.

By James Kent, gardener to J. F. Knorr. — Three hand Bouquets, not
intended for competition.

By Isaac B. Baxter.— Pears. — Passe Colmar, Niles, Beurre Bans, Easter
Beurre, St. Germain, Le Cure, and D'Aremberg.

By Edwin A. Vickroy, Johnstown, Pa. — Apples. — Pennock, Newton
Pippin, Bellflower, Sweet Pippin, Mann, and Vanderveer, and other kinds.

By William Y. Pettitt. — Pears. — Fine specimens of the Niles.

By Albinus L. Felton. — A table of a variety of fine Vegetables.

By Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin. — A brace of Cucumbers,
three varieties of Lettuce, and two of Radishes.

By George Raphael & Co., from H. R. Cummings & Co., of San Francisco,
California, samples of Cereal Grains, &c. ; specimens of wheat reported to
yield 66 and 60 bushels ; Egyptian Wheat, 50 bushels ; Barley, 149|-
bushels to the acre ; handsome Oats, &c.

By James M. Somerville, Spruce street. — A number of very large
specimens of most beautiful, mounted Sea Weeds, viz., Ectocarpus viridis,
Polyayphoniaformosa, Dasya elegans ; same in fruit ; Mesagloia vermicularis,
and Spyridia filimentosa.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 63

January IQth, 1855. — The Stated Meeting of the Society was held this
evening, at the Assembly Buildings — Caleb Cope in the chair.

Premiums were awarded as follows : By the Committee on Plants and
Flowers — Collection of twelve plants, for the best, to Robert Buist; for the
second best,'to John Pollock, gardener to James Dundas. Specwien plant,
for the best, to Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A. Eahnestock; for the
second best to John Pollock, gardener to James Dundas. Table design, for
the best, to Andrew Dryburgh ; for the second best, to Jerome Graff, gardener
to C. Cope. BasJcet of cut flowers, for the best, to J. J. Habermehl, gardener
to John Lambert ; for the second best, to Mark Hill, gardener to M. W.
Baldwin. Bouquets, for the best pair, to Jerome Graff, gardener to C.
Cope. N'ew plants, a premium of three dollars to John Pollock, gardener
to James Dundas, for Phoelanopsis grandifiora ; of one dollar, to Thomas
Robertson, gardener to B. A. Fahnestock, for Azalia narcissiflora and Ar-
disia crenulata alba; of one dollar, to Jerome Graff, gardener to Caleb
Cope, for ^schynanthus and Kennedya. Special premiuvis, to Andrew
Dryburgh, one dollar, for a bouquet most tastefully arranged ; to Jerome
Graff, gardener to Caleb Cope, and to Alexander Burnett, gardener to H.
Pratt McKean, each one dollar, for basket ; and to Thomas Robertson,
gardener to B. A. Eahnestock, two dollars, for a collection of plants.

Apples, for the best twelve specimens to E. A. Vickroy for Ewalt.

Vegetables, for the best display by a market gardener, to A. L. Eelton ;
and a special premium of two dollars, to Mark Hill, gardener to M. W.
Baldwin, for a fair display of lettuce, radishes and cucumbers.

The Library Committee reported the names of nine members as delin-
quent for fines.

The delegates appointed to attend the session of the American Pomologi-
cal Society, submitted a more detailed report.

The Chairman of the Committee of Finance verbally reported progress.

On motion, ordered that the thanks of the Society be tendered to Gen.
Welsh, for the generous offer of the use of his large and magnificent tent*
in case the Society should have needed it for the Autumnal Exhibition.

Member elected — John Gray, florist.

Objects sJiown. — Plants, by Robert Buist, specimen, Corrsea speciosa ven-
tricosa, collection of twelve, Luculia gratissima, Oncidium ornithorynchum,
Xylobium squalens, Camellia Mrs. Cope, Eranthemum semperflorens, E.
pulchellum, Gesneria oblongata, Corrsea speciosa ventricosa, Petroea volu-
bilis. Begonia incarnata, Azalea indica and Daphne indica rubra.

By John Pollock, gardener to James Dundas, new, and shown for the
first time, Phalaenopsis grandifiora, Begonia Laperousii, also, Goodyera

64 THE FLORIST AND

discolor, new ; collection of twelve specimens, Begonia manlcata, B. nitida,
B. semperflorens, B. hydrocotylefolia, Ageratum Mexicanum, Cuphea
platycentra, Eranthemum pulchellum, Centradenia rosea, C. floribunda,
Gesneria longiflora, and Gr. zebrina : specimen, Begonia manicata.

By Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A. Fahnestock, Camellia j. speci-
osa, C. alboplena, C. imbricata, Lasiandra splendens, Cryptolepis longiflorus,
Gesneria oblongata, Azalea double lilac, Epacris grandiflora, E. carnea-
coccinnea, Centradenia floribunda, Justicia persicifolia, Jasminum sp.. Daph-
ne indica hybrida ; specimens, Tropceolum Lobbianum, Dendrobium nobile ;
new plants. Azalea narcissiflora, Ardisia crenulata fructu albo.

By Jerome GraiF, Gardener to C. Cope, new plants, shown for the first
time, -^schynanthus miniatus, Mussaenda frondoso and Kennedya Lind-
leyana.

Designs, baskets and bouquets, by Andrew Dryburgh, a table design and
bouquet, beautifully arranged.

By J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert, a handsome basket.

By Jerome GraiF, gardener to C. Cope, a table design, a basket and a
pair of bouquets.

By Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin, a basket.

By Alexander Burnett, gardener to H. Pratt McKean, a basket.

Fruit, by E. A. Vickroy, of Johnstown, Pa., apples, the Ewalt and
Pennock.

Vegetables, by A. L. Felton, a fine display.

By Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin, cucumbers, radishes and
lettuce.

By A. Packer, specimens of wood.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The Annual Meeting was held, January 16th, 1855, B. A. Fahnestock
was called to the chair, and James D. Fulton acted as Secretary. The
object being the election of officers, C. P. Hays and H. C. Hanson were
appointed tellers. It was announced that Dr. W. D. Brinkle and Richard
Price declined a re-election as Vice-Presidents. Nominations were made
and the election proceeded with, and resulted in the election of the following
gentlemen, who were accordingly announced officers for the ensuing year :

President — Gen. Robert Patterson.

Vice-Presidents — James Dundas, Robert Buist, Robert Cornelius and B.
A. Fahnestock.

Treasurer — John Thomas.

Corresponding Secretary — W. D. Brinkle, M. D.

Recording Secretary — Thomas P. James.

Professor of Entomology — Samuel S. Haldeman, A. M.

Professor of Botany — Wm. Darlington, LL. D.

Professor of Horticultural Chemistry — Robert Hare, M. D.

»

AMYGDALUS PERSICA var SINENSIS

flore alljo semi jjleno fc flore vuhro seiin jjleno.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 65

ON THE CULTURE OF THE NEMATANTHUS LONGIPES.

It is the good fortune of some plants to be everybody's favorites, and in
everybody's collections. Of this class, a plant is no sooner hit upon by the
collector in its native habitat, than it is sent across the boundless ocean, it
may be, thousands of miles, with the collector's ticket attached, describing
its wonderful beauty, is sought for by every cultivator, and the new plant
soon becomes well known. Witness the Cissus discolor for an example.
It is the same with varieties or hybrids of florist's flowers, where they
have any sterling merit ; take Robinson's Defiance Verheyia as an ex-
ample. Others are of a more humble nature, and to be found only in the
collections of the curious ; especially is this so, if there are any difiiculties
in the way of managing it, or if the flowers are not in abundance with
common treatment.

It is to the latter class that the subject now under notice more properly
belongs, being found more among large collections than those of smaller
extent ; and when met with, looking but indifl'erently, and occupying some
spot where it plainly tells it is thought but little of. Our object, in these
few remarks, is to place it in a more favorable light, as it certainly is
deserving of a better fate than it generally receives. Its dissimilarity from
other flowers, is some consideration in its favor. The flowers are produced
from the axils of each leaf, generally singly but sometimes in pairs, being
supported by thread-like stalks, which hang from four to six inches below
the foliage or stem on which they are produced, giving the plant a very
peculiar appearance.

As the flowers are pendant and below the foliage altogether, it either
requires to be grown on a single stem one or two feet high, or if dwarf,
elevated when in flower sufiicient to look under the plant. The flowers
belong to the ringent or gaping class of corollas, and are of a waxy-reddish
color, being mottled, at the mouth, with the same color on a lighter ground.
It IS, by no means, a compact growing plant, seldom producing any lateral
shoot, and if stopped, is not very free in starting but from one eye ; hence,
requires to be at least, three years old before any display much can be
expected from it.

We have a plant, now flowering, about three years old, which has twenty
shoots, each of which has from five to ten flowers, of various stages of growth,
hanging from them ; the shoots having extended some length, their own
5

66 THE FLORIST AND

"weight has brought them nearly horizontal ; the best position to show their
flowers to advantage, being slightly turned up at the points, and it really
has a very effective appearance. No stakes, whatever, should be used, as
the shoots, under proper care, are strong enough to support themselves.
To secure this, it should always have abundance of light, and not be
crowded up with other plants.

Propagation and Culture.

Cuttings strike readily the ordinary way, selecting the points of the
strongest and healthiest shoots, and we prefer the month of January to do
it in, so as to secure a nice little plant the first season. When it is rooted,
it should be potted off into a three-inch pot, and allowed to grow six or
eight inches, or even a foot, when it should be cut back to within three or
four leaves of the bottom. Two, if not three, of these leaves will produce
a shoot each, after which it should receive a size larger pot. No benefit
will result by pinching during the summer's growth, and the plant should
be wintered in a warm green-house.

Early in the spring, cut back to within three or four leaves of the stem,
and give it the benefit of a little bottom heat, if possible. This will probably
start a shoot from each leaf, after which it should be shifted into two sizes
larger pot, and kept growing all the summer in a moist pit or stove, where
it will, if continued in the stove, produce flowers during winter, or if
wintered again in the green-house, during the summer.

The plant now being established, will require periodically cutting down,
as before stated, and started into growth by bottom heat, and occasionally
repotted. If it is wished to have a single stem of a desired height, it should
be trained up at least a foot above that height, and then cut back to the
height, and otherwise treated as a bush. We believe it will be found to
flower more profusely if allowed to do so during winter. For soil, use two
parts rough peat to one of fibry loam, with one part of well decayed cow-
dung and sand, equal quantities.

TiLGATE.

Crinum Giganteum. — A large fragrant flowering Lily from Guiana,
having leaves a foot and a half long, and an erect flower stem nearly two
feet high, bearing on its apex an umbel of 4 — 6 white flowers, each flower
when expanded being 7 — 8 inches across, and having a strip of green on the
outside of each petal. — Hotes from Kew.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 67

GENDBRUGGE NURSERY.

Among tlie European horticultural establishments, whose connections are
the most widely extended, whose fame has reached every country, wherever
horticulture has been able to follow the steady but incessant march of
civilization, the establishment of M. Louis Van Houtte, in Ghent,
Belgium, stands undoubtedly in the very first rank. What the old cele-
brated gardens of a Loddiges for Great Britain, of a Cels and Noisette for
France, of a Makot for Belgium, and a Schelhase for Germany, have
been in their most flourishing time, that has, and even in a greater measure,
now become Van Houtte's establishment, for the whole of Europe. Only
created about sixteen years since by M. Louis Van Houtte, this nursery
has, through the able and energetic management of its founder, speedily
attained its present extension ; and its fame, so readily won, has attracted
the attention of all friends of horticultural pursuits.

We trust it will offer a certain interest to many of our kind readers, if
we try to give, in the following lines, a short but graphical sketch of this
unique establishment.

M. Van Houtte's establishment embraces three essentially different
departjnents, each of which is perfectly distinct and independent, with its
proper organization and its own body of employees ; but, all three united,
are diligently and masterly managed by the founder and proprietor himself,
who guides the manifold branches of this vast concern, in its smallest details,
as its head and source.

The three departments, just alluded to, are :

First. The nursery business, again divided into two departments ; the
plant and the seed trade.

Secondly. The lithographic printing and coloring establishment^ and the
editorship of the Botanico-Horticultural Journal, Flore des Serres et des
Jardins de V Europe, of which M. Van Houtte is, himself, founder and
chief editor.

Thirdly. The Royal Belgian Gardeners' Educational School ; an insti-
tution founded by the Belgian government, through M. Van Houtte,
after his design and under his direction, for the education of gardeners,
scientifically educated and practically instructed.

Having established these points, we enter now on a description, and find
in the first department, in the numerous and convieniently constructed
glass-houses, in the vast number of pits and frames, and dispersed over a

68 THE FLORIST AND

wide field of tiglily cultivated garden ground, a collection of plants, ranging
among the choicest and most complete : from the proud and princely family
of Palm trees, the rare Tree-ferns, and the interesting Orchids, downwards
through the innumerable host of plants which we at present employ for
ornamenting our gardens, parks and conservatories. We find here, all kinds
of plants richly represented ; the highly esteemed florist flowers in extensive
and choice collections ; all the lately introduced novelties, as soon as they
are to be had ; the rarest and finest genera, particula,rly, in considerable
propagation to meet the numerous orders, which, mostly, comprise the new
and rarer plants. We meet many directly introduced novelties, the value
of which is here to be tried, before they are sent out ; others, which have
already passed their trial, and which now, aft^r having been scientifically
described and figured, are speedily propagated, and soon dispersed over the
whole gardening world. Many beautiful cross-breeds, obtained through the
intelligent exertions of the head gardener of the establishment, augment
the number of new plants, which are annually originated in this garden.

Plants of all climes, from all countries, wherever the foot of the undaunted
naturalist could find access, are here crowded together, but all enjoy a
careful treatment, according to the natural wants of each individual, as far
,as jsossible, and all thrive exceedingly well. This results from the strict
-observation of the rule, to class the plants kind to kind, and genus to^ genus,
and to bring only such plants together, under one roof, which have a com-
mon country, or which, at least, claim the same amount of heat and a similar
treatment-

Besides this, the healthy state of the plants may be traced to the con-
venient construction of the houses, all of Avhich are span-roofed, well lighted,
thoroughly ventilated, and heated by the most approved methods of hot-
water heating. The excellently arranged heating is subjected to a strict
control, and the temperature of each house, determined by the nature of
plants it contains, is rigorously maintained, and always some degrees less
during the night than in the day time.

Let us now enter the glass-houses and cast a glance on the plants, to
obtain a superficial knowledge of them, for it would carry us too far if we
should enter into detail. For the first house, we enter, we meet the cele-
brated collection of Ehododendrons, from the Sikkim, Assam and Bootan
mountains, in numerous and vigorous specimens. These new species, with
the great number of fine garden varieties, which we already posess, form,
together, a splendid collection of plants, all of which are remarkable for the
large size and the gorgeous beauty of their flower trusses. If we pass

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 69

through this house, we find ourselves in a wide lane, consisting of fourteen
glass-houses, forming a right angle with the walk. All are of the same
length of ahout a hundred feet, and run in the same direction, from the
north to the south ; the span-roofs, consequently, facing east and west, a
situation which, for such houses, is considered the best. Their depth and
height differs as well as their interior arrangement. If we turn to the right,
we find, at first, four propagating houses, the first of which is appropriated
to the raising of seedlings ; the second, to the different processes of grafting ;
the third, for cuttings of green-house plants ; and the fourth, for propagating
stove-plants. Then follows the Orchid house, which, besides a choice col-
lection of these plants, contains the finest tropical Ferns, in great variety.
The next house is elegantly constructed, its round roof consists entirely of
wrought-iron ; it contains, on one side, a tan-bed, filled with young Palms,
on the other, a bed of soil, in which a choice collection of the best hard-
wooded stove-plants is planted out, to serve as stock for propagation. The
wide walk in the centre is vaulted by a slight trellis-work, and covered with
the finest of tropical climbers. The next following lofty building, contains
the larger Palm trees, and other tropical plants, and is tastefully laid out
like a winter garden, with serpentine walks. Behind this house, is the
gasometer of the establishment, which provides with gas the vast offices of
the "Flore des Serres, etc.," the lecture rooms, refectories, and dormitories
of the institution, the dwelling house of the proprietor, etc. If we turn now
to the left side of the lane, we meet, at first, a spacious house, filled with
coniferous plants. It is also laid out in the style of a winter garden, rich
in the most beautiful and rarest samples of this now so justly admired
family.

Next follow four houses for intermediate and stove-plants, heated from
six degrees, Reaum. upwards to fourteen. The large number of tropical
and sub-tropical plants are distributed in these houses, according to the
amount of heat which they require. The collection is particularly rich in
plants with variegated or otherwise ornamental foliage, that, even in the
absence of flowers, such a house always remains interesting and attractive.

The row ends on this side with two green-houses, one of which serves for
the wintering of the more delicate and rarer shrubs, the other for
herbaceous plants, such as Cinerarias, Calceolarias, Verbenas, and others.
In another direction, we meet now a house, nearly three hundred feet in
length, with a round iron-glass roof; it is entirely occupied by the extensive
collection of Camellias. In front of it, are four rows of pits, of equal
length, also filled with Camellias. In this part of the garden is a large

70 THE FLORIST AND

surface of ground, intersected by numerous and high hedges, all running in
the same direction, from east to west ; they, consequently, give free ad-
mittance to the morning and evening sun, but screen from the cold north
wind and the scorching rays of the sun at noon. The green-house plants,
Camellias, Indian Azaleas, Conifers, etc., are neatly arranged, and remain
here during the summer. The houses, which gave them shelter in winter
time, are now immediately occupied by a numerous host of Q-loxinias, Achi-
menes, Gf-esnerias, with the beautiful kinds of Caladiums, Curcumas, and
other tuberous rooted plants, all of which lie dormant, in the state of small
dry tubers, during the whole winter, and are almost lost sight of until the
next summer, when, filling whole houses with the rich ornament of their
brilliant flowers and glossy leaves, they can be fully appreciated.

Let us now turn to the other glass-houses, not yet come under our obser-
vation ; we find, again, a whole group of them, of which the two, in front,
are appropriated to iVew Holland and Cape plants ; the third, for Pelar-
goniums ; the fourth, for Indian Azaleas ; and the fifth, for the cultivation
of the far-famed Victoria regia. This queen of aquatic plants is associated
with the beautiful tropical water Lilies, among which ih.Q Nymphaea gigantea,
which nearly rivals the Victoria, in the large size of its deep blue flowers.
The Victoria house claims a particular interest, it being the first which was
erected for that purpose on the European continent, and because it was
here, where the Victoria, as well as the Nymphaea gigantea, unfolded, for
the first time, their splendid blossoms. Be it understood, that we speak
here from the European Continent ; the Victoria regia having flowered
eight months sooner, for the very first time, in the celebrated gardens at
Chatsworth. The Victoria house is a perfectly circular building, with a
cupola of iron and glass, of a very plain, but elegant construction. The
basin is also circular, has a diameter of twenty-six feet, is entirely built in
brick and cement, and heated by steam pipes. Sidewards from these
houses, extends a wide plain, entirely covered with frames, in which the
most various plants are grown. The collection of Cape and other flowering
bulbs is particularly rich and extensive. M. Van Houtte collects them
with a special predilection, and it is but justice to say, that no nursery can
equal his, in this interesting family of plants. Whole ranges of frames are
filled with the rarer sorts of Lilium, Amaryllis, the beautiful Sparaxis,
Ixias, Tigridias, etc. The hardier kinds of bulbs, such as Q-ladiolus,
Iris, Tulips, Crocus, Scilla, Alstroemerias, etc., are grown in the open
ground, and on the most extensive scale. Further on, the garden extends
into large fields, appropriated to the culture of annuals, Roses, Rhododen-

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 71

drons, Ghent Azaleas, Kalmias, Paeonies, complete collections of herbaceous
plants, evergreens, and every other nurserj-stock. All articles are grown in
great quantities^, and particular care is taken to make all the different as-
sortments as choice and complete as possible. All those who desire to
obtain a more intimate knowledge of the abundance and variety of plants,
which are here grown, we beg leave to refer to the catalogues, annually
published by this establishment.

Havinig thus had a hasty survey of the first department, the Nursery, we
now turn to the second, and pay a visit to the office, from which is issued the
finest and the most ividely circulated of all the illustrated horticultural
journals. This office is situated on the first floor of a vast building, two
stories high, and above four hundred feet long, which forms a wing to the
house of the proprietor, and stretches along the eastern boundary of the
establishment. On entering the principal office, the length of which is 150
feet, we have occasion to admire the process of lithographic color-printing.
Thirteen presses stand in one row, nearly every one printing in another
color. Further on we meet a cabinet, separated by glass partitions : this is
the office of the head foreman and his first artists ; from here he directs and
inspects the numerous body of printers, engravers, colorists, and other em-
ployees, whose number varies from 150 to 200 ; here the new plants are
drawn from nature, and these drawings, manifoldly multiplied by the litho-
graphic printing and the colorist's pencil, make them soon known to the
whole community of friends of flowers and gardening. The remaining
room of the office is filled like a school-room, with desks and benches in
long rows, occupied by the colorists, who give the last finish to the
plates. The editorship is divided into two parts, the horticultural and
the botanical. The first, as well as the head management, is conducted by
M. Van Houtte himself; the second is entrusted to one of the ablest
botanists of the present time. Dr. Planchon, professor in the faculty of
medicine at Montpellier; besides whom, the most eminent of European
botanists, men, such as Blume, De Candolle, Decaisne, Brogniart,
GoBPPERT, Reichenbach, Von Schlechtendahl, and others, have lent
their protection and assistance to a work, which by itself will be sufficient
to render the name Van Houtte immortal in the annals of horticultural
literature.

The '-'■Flore des Serres et des Jardins de VEurope,' has now already
commenced its tenth volume, and the scientific value of its letter-press,
the beautiful and highly finished plates, as well as the elegant exterior and
its cheapness, have long since placed it in the first rank of illustrated jour-

72 THE FLORIST AND

nals. From its office above a quarter of a million of colored plates, repre-
senting the finest of the newly introduced plants, are yearly issued; the
nursery furnishes an equally enormous number of new plants, and it is
alike difficult to determine the influence which both of them exercise in
favor of horticulture, and the limits which this influence has not yet been
able to surpass.

From the foregoing remarks, we will the more easily understand why the
Belgian government, when the erection of a horticultural school was taken
into consideration, entrusted without hesitation to M. Van Houtte the
task of founding and directing this institution : the best practical school for
young gardeners was found to exist already in his extensive establishment,
where every branch of horticulture is carried on on a great scale. The
third department, the G-ardener s Educational School, was therefore
created, and we are happy to say, this institution, in its management,
direction, and results, did not fall short of the most sanguine expectations,
which were justly founded upon the creative talents and the zealous efibrts
of its founder. The young men, admitted between the age of fifteen to
twenty, receive instruction, board and lodging in the establishment. The
pension is 500 francs per annum. The course of lectures lasts three years,
and comprises all matters which in every way an accomplished gardener
ought to know. The professors are appointed and paid by the Belgian
government. This institution is equally open to all foreigners, and though
only founded about five years since, is already frequented by young men
of all nations. Spacious lecture-rooms, a well ventilated dormitory, and a
rich garden-museum, library and herbarium, fill the second story of the
long building already mentioned, the ground floor of which contains, besides
the office of the " Flore," several sitting rooms for the young men, the
spacious rooms for packing, stabling and other accommodations. Another
large building contains the work-shops of the joiners, carpenters, painters
and glaziers, all of whom find constant employment in the construction of
new houses, frames, lights, etc., or in the keeping in order of the vast
material already on hand. The second story and garret are occupied by
the seed warehouse.

Nursery business, office of the " Flore,'" and Gardener's Educational
School, — these three departments (every one of which already being an
extensive concern,) form together an establishment fwhich, ingenious in
its foundation and admirably organized in all its branches, certainly
justifies the appellation unique in the most extensive acceptation of the
term. Its far extending and fruitful activity for the promotion of horticul-

HORTICULTURAL JOURJTAL. 73

ture, in spite of all the obstacles it had to surmount, and untouched through
all the hateful calumnies which envy and malice are always busy to circu"
late, is now readily admitted from all parts. The name Van Houtte has
become familiar to all friends of horticulture : there is perhaps not one
garden of some note in Europe, or even in the United States, which has not
been enriched, directly or otherwise, from his establishment, this unceasing
source of vegetable treasures ; his journal is everywhere justly appreciated
as the best and the most suited for promoting the science and love of horti-
culture, and every impartial amateur will readily admit that the high tokens
of royal esteem, which M. Van Houtte is honored with, are but a just
appreciation of his really great merit, of his unceasing endeavor, full of
troublesome work and unceasing labor. The decorations of merit, conferred
on him by the King of the Belgians and the King of Portugal, bear testi-
mony to the high and enlightened sentiments of those monarchs, who know
how to appreciate real merit, wherever and in what manner it may appear, as
well as they give to the whole horticultural world the encouraging proof,
that true desert, even in their sphere of life, has a just claim to the most
honorable distinction. E. Ortgies.

Bremen, 25th January/, 1855.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

"Up and be doing," will soon be the order of the day in the vegetable
garden, and it will be well for us to be ready for the race when it commences.
Let us then consider for a short time, and work mentally that we may some-
what assist the physical in due time, and be enabled to " go a-head" with-
out hindrance.

It is a very common affair, to see what should be a vegetable garden all
the summer season, presenting the appearance of being half in fallow, owing
to the want of systematic action and proper forethought ; and when a neigh-
bor obtains double the produce on the same amount of land, for the " Gar-
dener" to grumble, and blame everything but his own ignorance and stupid-
ity. There is also a prevalent notion in existence, that any " clodhopper"
may grow vegetables. So he can, in a way, but that way is too often not
the best, nor yet the most economical ; in fact, if we consider the mistakes,
poor quality, waste of land, and misapplied labor, it would be much better
for some families to buy all their esculents in the market, were it not for the

74 THE FLORIST AND

inconvenience and distance ; on the contrary, the vegetable garden needs
observation, skill, and calculation. Observation, in noticing the certain ef-
fects of dijQFerent fertilizers on the soil we cultivate ; the length of time, com-
paratively, that each crop takes to prepare for use, and its good or bad pro-
gress during growth ; the aspect of the garden, and its fitness in particular
spots for the various crops, both as regards the soil, and shelter ; the kinds
of insects, and the way in which they attack the plants, so as to be able to
get rid of them most readily ; and the climatic changes of the locality, which
tend to frustrate or destroy our designs. Skill in rendering certain every
contingent, carrying out judiciously and to the greatest profit all our ac-
tions, the management and saving of unnecessary labor, and the best
methods of planting and sowing, so that each succession may not be inter-
fered with by the previous occupant. And calculation, in the quantity of
produce on a given spot ; the peculiar wants of the family, regard to the
amount likely to be consumed, of each kind, and the so adjusting of the pre-
liminaries, that there may be neither waste, or loss of ground. These mat-
ters taken collectively, form an aggregate, by which, success, profit, and
nutritious edibles may be obtained, and a proper observance of them will do
more for the practitioner, than committing to memory a whole volume of
dogmatical rules. Calendars of operations are most useful as reference, and
they often contain the best instructions, but to depend upon them without
acquiring some practical knowledge on the subject, is very likely to result in
the writer of them being blamed, instead of our own deficiency, and not
knowing how to carry out his directions ; and having said thus much, it may
be of service to give a few general remarks of a more practical nature.

When there is scope enough in the pleasure garden, the full flow of poetic
imagination may be carried out, but where utility and profit are in view,
the mind is led to appreciate the beautiful in methodical arrangement, and
as this is the object in the vegetable garden, and as straight lines and right
angles also assist the required operations, a parallelogram or square is
always the most convenient and suitable. Besides this, the main requisites
to secure good vegetables, and plenty of them, are, efiectual drainage,
thorough and deep working of the soil, a good supply of barn-yard manure,
cleanliness and the continual destruction of weeds, and a judicious rotation
and succession of crops. The first four items incur expenses, and it depends
upon the carrying out of the last that all remuneration depends, consequently
it becomes important how we act, so as to place the result on the credit side
of the ledger.

It has now become an axiom, that a skillful rotation is a benefit, both to

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 75

tlie land and the husbandman, and it is a fact that needs no further proving.
Now, if we are to put any reliance in that indefatigable agricultural chemist,
Liebig, all plants absorb from the atmosphere, and decompose a large amount
of carbonic acid by the leaves, (and this theorizing becomes fact in practice ;)
if so, it is evident that those of large and succulent foliage and low growth
will draw freely of this gas, and not unlikely but they will deposit a super-
abundant portion in the ground beneath, from the downward current of the
sap ; consequently, it is reasonable to suppose that, if spinage, lettuce, &c.,
precede peas, Lima beans, corn, &c., the latter will be benefited by the pre-
vious action of the former. Our own experience testifies to the truth of
such presumption, and may be an excuse for the recommendation.

With regard to the quantity of produce on a given space, there is a great
difference, according as a skillful or negligent succession is kept up ; indeed,
so great is this, that one man will only clear one hundred dollars per acre,
while another can more than quadruple the amount at market prices, and
simply by the way in which the different crops are made to succeed each
other, — one is contented to take one. per year, while the other obtains two,
and in some instancs even three. Perhaps an example or two may help to
ilustrate how this latter may be accomplished. Suppose a plot has to be
sowed with early peas ; at the time of sowing, a row of radishes, or spring
spinage, may be drilled in midway between the peas ; these will be off before
the latter are far advanced ; and when the peas are up, a crop of beets for
fall and winter use, may be put in the same place. The general successions
of peas may be accompanied by early lettuce in the same way, and the
ground afterwards prepared for celery, which may be planted from the seed
bed before the pea haulm is removed, and so on. A little close calculation
of this nature will show many more instances of a similar character, and
enable the cultivator to make the most of a limited space.

There is always a dearth of good vegetables in the earlier part of the
season ; and an advantage is to be gained on this account, by choosing the
earliest varieties, and forwarding some of the most necessary crops. Some
peas, for instance, are ready a week or ten days before others, and these may
be hurried on, by sowing them three or four weeks before those on the open
ground, in shallow boxes, or on pieces of grass turf, placed in a close cold
frame, or late grapery, and afterwards planted out in a warm, sheltered situa-
tion, when the weather becomes favorable. The best for first early that we
have "yet tried are, Warner's Early Conqueror, Warner's Early Emperor,
and Smith's Early. For general crop there is none better than the Cham-
pion of England, which is a good bearer and unsurpassed in flavor. Sweet

76 THE FLORIST AND

corn and potatoes are also assisted in the same way ; and after trying seve-
ral kinds, the Early Tuscarora corn seems the best for first crop ; of course,
it is not equal in quality to the Twelve RoAved, but on an average will be
ready a week sooner. Stowell's Evergreen is a large cobbed, deep seeded,
and good sort, but the Twelve Rowed is superior in quality, and equal as a
bearer. One of the best early potatoes is Batty's Early. Lima beans, if
planted before the soil becomes warmed, or even then, in damp or cold situ-
ations, are subject to rot, which makes it advisable to get them started a
month beforehand, as advised above ; quart pots are the best for this pur-
pose, as the plants can be more readily turned out without injury to the
roots. Tomatoes, Egg Plant, and Peppers, ought to be sowed by the first
of March, on a gentle hot-bed, or in an early grapery, and when they are
two inches high, planted into boxes six inches apart, or singly into pint
pots, and hardened off in a cold frame for two weeks before final planting
out of doors, which may be when all danger of frost is over.

Having given the above few remarks to engage attention to the subject,
I would refer your readers for further details, to Buist's Kitchen Gardener,
which gives very reliable and honest advice, is one of the best works of the
kind extant, and ought to be in the possession of every body who has a gar-
den, and wishes to have good vegetables.

February VltJu Wm. Chorlton.

ON ENGRAFTING AND BUDDING THE CHERRY.

By J. P. KiRTLAND, M. D.

The cultivation of the Cherry has been a favorite amusement with me
since the year 1812. More than forty years' experience and observation
have imparted a tact, at their propagation and management, which, with-
out much reflection, I had supposed was possessed by every practical
Horticulturist in common with myself. Recently, communications from
two, among your most intelligent and experienced nurserymen of the middle
states, inform me, that they succeed very indifferently, in propagating this
fruit, by engrafting. As my success with it, is about equal to that with the
apple and pear, their statements have induced me to scrutinize my course of
management in order to detect the secret of such different results.

The rationale of my success, consists, perhaps, mainly, in inserting the

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 77

scions, at a period, earlier than the commencement of the circulation of the
sap in the stock.

I will, however furnisli a brief detail of the whole course I pursue, though
I apprehend that most of your experienced cultivators, in the eastern and
middle states, will look upon its publication as superfluous, and like " carry-
ing coals to New Castle."

To those whose attention has not been directed specially to the subject,
it may afibrd some instruction.

In the latitude of Cleveland, it is important that the scions be cut on
or before the 20th of February. They should be immediately packed
among saw dust or decayed wood from the forests, of a medium degree of
moisture, and be placed in a box or barrel in the cellar, pit, or cold frame,
where the temperature is very little above the freezing point. The first
mild day, after that period, is the best time to commence the operation of
engrafting. A foot of snow covering the ground, should not be considered
as any obstacle in the way. The operation should never be delayed beyond
the middle of March. If it be postponed till April or May, the time when
we usually engraft apples and pears, not one scion in twenty will succeed.
No ill effects will be experienced though heavy snow storms and severe
cold weather follow their insertion.

The most expeditious and also a very successful method, is the splice,
whip, or tongue-grafting, which is perfectly understood by nurserymen.
For an instrument with which to perform it, a thin bladed shoe knife is
preferable to all others. It must be of a high temper which will admit of
its being honed and strapped to a keen edge. By its aid a clean tongue
can be raised on the slopes, both of the stock, without lacerating or
splintering their bark and wood ; a result which will not occur if almost any
other form of a knife be employed.

Some care is necessary to adjust the tongues, one within the other, and
to bring the surfaces of the bark of the stock and scion in exact opposition.
When accomplished, they may be secured by wrapping them firmly, and so
as to exclude air and water from their cut surfaces. The best material for
this purpose is some old garment, of tolerable fine texture, formed of
domestic cotton, dipped in melted grafting wax, and when cold, laid upon a
smooth board and cut into strips, of suitable length and breadth ; such old
cloth will gradually give way with the expansion of the tree, while, if new
cloth be used, the folds investing the graft will require to be cut through,
down to the bark, in the months of May or June, to prevent ligation. This

78 THE FLORIST AND

operation is liable to injure both tbe stock and graft at their junction, if
the incision acts at all on them.

Another method is to employ post office or tenacious paper in strips,
instead of cloth, and then to invest their wrappings with bass matting, in
strips. These too require to be cut, for the reason above assigned.

The low temperature usually occurring at the proper period for engraft-
ing the cherry, will call into requisition the aid of artificial heat, in the
form of a pan of live coals, or a kettle of hot water, by which the waxed
cloth can be kept at a proper state of consistency. An attendant should
be in waiting to take charge of them, and to apply the strips as soon as the
operator has fitted the scion to the stock.

Convenient ladders, stools or staging should be at hand to enable him to
reach the tops of the trees. By this method large mazzard stocks can be
converted into the best of varieties. The extremities of these limbs, of
course can only be changed by this method, as it is never expedient to
whip-graft a limb larger than one's finger. Three seasons are required to
accomplish the change, without impairing the health of the stock. One-
third of the top should be operated each year, till the purpose is efiected.
If it be hurried into one or two seasons, a plethora will be induced, which
will manifest its symptoms, in the form of efi"usions of gum, from the surface
of the body, followed by canker, and often by death of extensive portions of
the bark and alburnum. Partial relief to this disease seems, in some
instances, to be afibrded by bold, deep, and extensive incisions through the
bark, down to the wood.

In case some rare or extra valuable scion should fall into my hands, I
should, most likely insert it by saddle grafting, in preference to the above
named method, for the reason, that it rarely fails to succeed in my hands.
It however requires too much time and care to admit of extensive use.

Instances not unfrequently occur, in which it is necessary to operate on
limbs or leading shoots of stocks, of an inch or more in diameter. In such
case the process of split or wedge grafting must be the resort.

By means of a delicate tenant saw, cut ofi" the stock, and then pare away
the rough surface with a shoe knife. The split should then be made of
proper length by driving down the same knife, by aid of a tvooden mallet —
a steel or iron hammer is liable to fracture the blade of the knife. Open
the split by the assistance of a smooth steel wedge, and it will be seen that
the thin bladed knife has rather cut the bark and wood than split them, and
what is of essential importance has left them with smooth and uniform sur-
faces, fitted to receive the elongated, wedge-form of the base of the scion.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 79

A good eye will enable the operator to cut this, with exact adaptation to the
split. A shoulder should be formed on the graft at the base of this wedge.

Two scions should be inserted in each stock. I set them perpendicular,
and take care to bring the inner bark in exact contiguity. A liberal coat
of wax should then be applied, so as to invest perfectly the base of the
grafts and the top and sides of the stock, as far down as the split extends.
The admission of air or water to the cut surfaces will defeat their union.
In using the wax, it should be applied at about the consistency of cream
sufficiently warm to spread uniformly, but not hot enough to impair the
stock or scion.

Next wrap about the sides and crown of the stock, as far as the wax
extends, a strip of soft paper, and confine it by aid of some softened wax.

When the grafts commence growing they should be examined almost
daily. Some insect may be preying on their tender shoots ; strips may be
ligating ; sprouts from the stock may be monopolizing the circulation or
luxuriance of growth may require to be staked and tied, to give a rich direc-
tion or secure them against wind and storm.

Should the scion fail, a few leading sprouts from the stock should be
reserved for subsequent operations. In case this contingency occur, with a
whip or saddle graft, the stock will be in no wise injured, but will send out still
finer growth for future budding or engrafting. But when split grafting is
resorted to, and is not successful, a severe shock is given to the stock
from which it takes a long time to recover. Besides, the union is not
always as perfect by this latter process as by the two former named.

It is occasionally convenient to carry on the process of changing a large
stock during the summer. We may then innoculate some of the limbs
which are from two to six years of age, and from one to three inches in
diameter. Late in the month of June, or early in July, in this locality, the
bark of these old growth will peel freely. The largest and most mature
buds should then be selected for insertion. In taking the bud from the
cutting, the base should be formed at least two inches long, and from it be
careful not to detach the wood. Be equally careful after its insertion to
secure it firmly by a liberal supply of bass matting, yet care must be taken
not to bind it so tight as to interrupt the circulation.

At the time the buds begin to swell, during the next spring, the stocks in
which such buds have taken, should be sawn off some six to ten inches
above the place of their insertion. After one year's growth these stocks
must be cut off again, close to the buds, and the surface thus exposed, be
coated with several applications of a varnish of gum-shell-lac and alcohol.

80 THE FLORIST AND

Buds tlius managed, frequently make an enormous growth the first season,
and require constant attention and securing, to prevent destruction from
"winds.

Thrifty, -well formed and prolific trees of considerable size can be seen in
my grounds, on which all these methods have been employed, to change
their varieties.

It may be well to add, that long continued cold, dry and windy weather
in April and May, has proved the most serious impediment to my attempts
at cherry grafting. It is equally injurious to the health and growth of the
developing innoculations which were inserted the previous season.

In frosty localities, late vernal frosts occasionally destroy young grafts
and innoculations ; and also the stocks, but this is a contingency which
rarely occurs on the south shore of Lake Erie.

Cleveland, Ohio, February 22c?, 1855.

To THE Editor of the Florist :

Sir : In the last number of the Florist, is an article from the G-ardeners'
Chronicle, which I am not sure that I exactly understand. It is concerning
"A new Sugar Cane." We are told, "a novelty has this year appeared, in
the form of a tall, reedy grass, called Holcus saccharatus, of whose econo-
mical value we find that great expectations are entertained." It is then
stated that this "Chinese Sugar Cane," (as it is also called,) yields Sugar
copiously, — much more than the Beet, &c. Now, what I want to know, is,
the real character of this '^^ novelty." If it is the Holcus saccharatus, of
Linnaeus — the Sorghum saccharatum, of Persoon, I do not understand why
it is regarded as a "novelty." Everybody, in this country, is familiar
with the plant, under the name of "Broom Corn;" and it has long been
cultivated, (in some places very extensively,) for the purpose of making
brooms, whisks, and clothes brushes. The books tell us, it has been culti-
vated, in Italy, as a substitute for the Sugar Cane. But I strongly suspect
it is inferior in value, for that object, to the Indian Corn, of our country.
Yet, whatever its value may be, it has no claim to be styled a "novelty."
If it is not the Holcus saccharatus, of Linnaeus, it has no right to that old
established name; but must be called something else. The question then
recurs, what is it f The answer must be left to you, and the Gardeners'
Chronicle ; and, for me, I shall be glad to learn its true character. Those

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 81

writers who treat us to such novelties as neiv "Wheat," made from ^gilops,
and new "Sugar Cane," from Holcus, are very remiss, in my humble
opinion, in not following up their discoveries, by conclusive demonstrations
of the real facts of the cases stated, and the true character of the plants
indicated. Naturalists, now-a-days, like to have some reliable evidence of
what they are asked to believe ; and clear, definite statements, concerning
all alleged novelties.

February 14, 1855. W. D.

CALADIUM ESCULENTUM.

A paragraph, extracted from a Texan paper, is now going the rounds of
the newspapers, from which we learn that three specimens of the Tanyer
have been brought from the Sandwich Islands to Texas. This plant is the
Caladium esculentum of authors, and has been extensively cultivated in
Georgia and Carolina, since the first settlement of those States. It was
introduced from the English West India Islands, where it is known by the
name of Eddo. We are probably indebted to Africa for this esculent root.
Both the above names are its appellation in different African languages.
Some tribes of Negroes likewise call it Jabavi. It is rather remarkable that
any one, inhabiting the southern portions of our country, should be so
ignorant as not to know that this common vegetable could be procured close
at hand, without the trouble of bringing from a distance of some thousands
of miles.

As for its value as an esculent, the most that can be said for it is, that it
is a very poor substitute for the Potato. There is, however, considerable
difference in the quality of the roots, some being dry and mealy, others, of
finer texture, are very mucilaginous ; of the first, the white ones are far
preferable to the purple. The young shoots, or rather buds, that is to say,
the portion of involuted and blanched leaves that can be procured from
them, shortly after they first sprout from the earth, when dressed like
Asparagus, form probably the most delicious vegetable that can be eaten.
The French formerly cultivated it, for this purpose, in Hayti, and their
other American possessions, under the name of Chou caraibe, or Carribean
Cabbage.

I know of no plant that will produce more to the acre than this, particu-
larly if left in the ground for two years, when the whole soil appears to
become one solid mass of roots. It thrives best in a moist situation.

6 LeC.

82 THE FLORIST AND

THE OHIO HORSE-CHESTNUT.

The Ohio Horse-Chestnut, {^sculus OMensis of Michaux,) is one of our
handsomest native ornamental trees. Though an old described species, it is
seldom found in collections, which is in chief part owing to its being very
frequently confounded with the Ohio Buckeye [Pavia flava of De Candolle,)
from which it is hardly to be distinguished in its foliage, though very differ-
ent in flower and fruit.

The whole family of the Horse-Chestnuts, including the Buckeyes, are so
very much alike in habit and foliage, that it is difficult to point out charac-
ters by which any one not a practical botanist might be able to distinguish
them one from another. But when they are in flower or fruit, their several
distinctions are very clear. Of the two divisions, the first or true Horse-
Chestnuts are well characterized by their bell-shaped flowers, and particu-
larly by their echinated or prickly-shelled fruit ; while the second division,
or buckeyes, have their fruit smooth shelled, or at the most merely warty,
and their flowers somewhat tubercular.

The English Horse-Chestnut, as it is called, (v^. Hippoeastanum,) is so
widely disseminated, that its prickly-shelled fruit is well known. The shell
of the Ohio species has the spines set thinner together than in the former ;
they are also mostly of one regular length, and tapering gradually to a
point ; while the European has them of irregular sizes and shapes. The
flower of the Ohio Horse-Chestnut is of a pale yellow color, and though not
quite so much bell-shaped as the other species, is sufficiently to be distin-
guished in that respect from a Pavia. Neither the individual flowers, or
the clusters, are so large, or by any means so showy, as the common Horse-
chestnut, but are yet very handsome.

The chief beauty of this tree lies in its diffuse habit of growth, so differ-
ent from the stiff and erect forms of all the other species ; its shining dark
green leaves, and the abundance of its fiozvers, which are produced on very
young or small trees. It never attains to a very large size, perhaps seldom
exceeding 40 feet ; and indeed bears, in that respect, much the same rela-
tion to the other kinds, as amongst the Magnolias, M. tripetela does to M.
acuminata.

So slender are its branches, that in an open situation, standing by itself,
when in fruit and often when in flower, the outside branches are almost
•weighed to the ground. In such a situation as a single object', or lawn tree,
there are few trees capable of surpassing it in beauty.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 83

The whole tribe of horse-chestnuts are well worthy the close attention of
lovers of ornamental trees. The skillful hybridizer has an opportunity of
producing some new forms which would certainly be pleasing ; and even the
mere raiser of chance seedlings, might be remunerated by a good sport, so
liable are all of the family to vary from seed.

We have already many fine varieties of Horse-Chestnut, and some few
variations amongst the Buckeyes. The ^seulus ruhicunda, with brick-red
flowers, whether a sport or true species, is particularly beautiful. We have
also a scarlet variety of this species, as well as one with variegated leaves.

Of the common Horse-Chestnut, there is the variety with double flowers,
the cut-leaved, and the variegated, and probably some others.

Recently the French nurserymen have introduced pyramidal dwarf horse-
chestnuts, which must not be confounded with Pavia macrostachya, and
varieties to which that name is popularly applied with us. They are varie-
ties of ^. Hippocastanum, grafted on slow-growing kinds, and are said to
form peculiarly pleasing objects. Thomas Meehan.

GRAFTED PLANTS.

A dispute has been carried on in the columns of the Gardeners' Chronicle,
as to the duration of Rhododendrons when grafted. The learned editor of
that journal in the issue of February 3d, thus sums up the case and gives
his opinion.

" Whether or not Rhododendrons, when grafted, are likely to be long-lived
and healthy, is one of those questions which have to be determined upon
general principles, as well as upon facts, or what are called by that name,

" A detached portion of a plant is not merely capable of producing the
organs necessary to the formation of a perfect plant, but it has also the
property of being able to blend with another plant, and lead a common life
with it. On this capability depend the numerous garden operations which
are known under the not very apt name of ennobling {yeredeln, grafting).
The contact of young succulent parts, which are in the course of develop-
ment, is a necessary condition of this blending. Such a condition is very
easily brought about in dicotyledonous plants, because in them there exists
between the bark and wood that layer of young tissue in course of develop-
ment called cambium ; and there is little difficulty in so bringing together
two plants, that this layer in each shall meet at some one point. But in the

84 THE FLORIST AND

monocotyledons, in wliich the vascular bundles lie scattered through the
whole stem, and no definite cambium layer exists, the conditions are far
more unfavorable. It is true, according to De Candolle's account, that
Baumann, of Boll wilier, succeeded in grafting Draccena ferrea on D. term-
inalis ; but the scion died after the first year. The experiments, indeed, of
Caldrini on grafting Grasses had a more favorable result, for he succeeded
in grafting even species of difierent genera, such as Rice upon Panioum
crus gain. This result may be explained by the fact that in Grasses the
lower part of the internodes enclosed in the leaf-sheath remains for a long
time soft and succulent. A second and indispensable condition in grafting
is a great similarity of the stock and scion; they must not only be nearly
allied botanically, but be much alike in the composition of their sap. Yet
although the possibility of grafting plants upon each other depends, in gen-
eral, upon their close natural relationship, still many anomalies occur. In
most cases different species of the same genus may be grafted on each other
or even in some instances species of nearly-allied genera, as, for example,
Pears on Quinces, or White Thorn {Cratcegus oxyacantha), or the snowy
Mespil [Amelanehier vulgaris), while the common Lilac takes on the Ash
tree and FMllyrea latifolia, the Olive on the Ash tree, and the Spanish
Chestnut on the Oak. Nevertheless, on the other hand, no union, or at
least no permanent union, can be secured, where there is a far closer botan-
ical affinity, as, for example, between the sweet Chestnut and the Beech, or
the Apple and the Pear."

To this effect writes Mohl in that admirable treatise of his on the cells of
plants, the best work on Vegetable Physiology in any language. We quote
it because, although he merely states notorious facts, yet the manner of put-
ting them may be new to some of our readers. Let us see how far it goes to
settle the matter in dispute among our correspondents.

It is, we think, incontestible, that although two plants of difierent species
may be made to form a mutual adhesion by the process of grafting, yet that
such adhesions are seldom if ever permanent, or even advantageous to the
vigour of the scion. It is only when varieties of the same species are
worked on each other, that a perfectly sound and durable union is effected ;
and not always even !;then, as we see when a fast growing Apple tree is
grafted upon a diminutive variety, such as the Paradise. If the union is to
be perfect and the double or grafted plant to be in all respects as healthy
as either of its parents the two must grow at the same rate, must have their
sap in action at the same instant of time, and the quality of their secretions,
be they what they may, must be identical. This happens when Pear trees

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 85

grow on Pear trees, or Apples on Apples of similar habits. It does not
happen in the same degree where Pears are grafted on Quinces, or Peaches
are budded on the varieties of Plum. For although we employ such stocks,
and with advantage, it is expressly because there is so much difference in
the constitution of the scion and stock as to diminish the rate of growth of
the former ; and although the Peach will live for many years on a Plum,
yet all gardeners know how great is their tendency to separate. In fact,
if an old Peach tree worked on a Plum stock be allowed to dry, and is then
so placed horizontally that the joint (of graft and stock) rests without sup-
port between two upright posts, and then receives a violent blow, the stock
and scion will come asunder, as if no organic union had ever been effected.
Had the Peach been worked on the Peach under equally favorable con-
ditions, no such fracture would be practicable.

Wherever we look we are met with evidence to this fact. A man may
graft a Cherry on a common Laurel, a Cedar of Lebanon on a Larch, or a
China upon a Dog-rose, and we all know that saleable plants are thus manu-
factured. But it will soon cease to be worth the while of the trade to form
such plants, seeing that buyers now generally learn that they are merely
ephemeral curiosities. If any one doubts this, let him inquire how many of
the thousands of worked Conifers which have come into the market within
the last 20 years are still alive. It would turn out, we have little doubt,
that the only healthy specimens now discoverable are those of varieties of
the same species, or closely allied species, worked on each other, as for in-
instance the yellow-berried Yew on the common Yew, or the Deodar on the
Cedar of Lebanon. Is the Rhododendron an exception to the universal
law ? We think not. When a variety of Rhododendron ponticum is worked
on the wild ijonticum it finds itself at home and grows as well and is pro-
bably just as long lived as if it were " on its own bottom." But this does
not appear to be the case when the varieties of catawbiense are put upon
ponticum, or of arboreum and its allies on some European or North Ameri-
can stock. In saying this, we would by no means assert that very fine
specimens of tree Rhododendrons may not be produced by grafting cataw-
biense on some other stock ; but we certainly cannot admit that they are
ever so handsome or so durable as if they found themselves on their own
stock; and this is what we understand our correspondent "J. R." to con-
tend for. It is not the mere act of grafting that is objected to, but that of
grafting upon stocks of another species; and if this is so, all the remarks of
Mr. Pearson become irrelevant.

In fact one of our practical correspondents who advocates the cause of

86 THE FLORIST AND

grafted Eliododendrons, virtually gives up his case ■^'hen lie contends that
the scion roots so quickly into the ground, provided the graft is low enough
that it soon acquires an independent existence. When that happens, the
plant is no longer grafted, hut gets upon its own roots.

It is alleged that Sikkim Rhododendrons grafted on pontieum immediately
form strong shoots, while the seedlings of the same species on their own
roots remain weak. No doubt such is the fact. But the question at issue
is not whether plants -will " take," but whether they will " stand," to use the
language of gardening, and if they do, whether they will retain their vigor when
old. It may indeed be asked, and very fairly, whether that would be any
advantage in gardening. Perhaps not; perhaps it is more desirable to have a
somewhat stunted plant which flowers profusely, rather than a vigorous plant
with more copious foliage. Such a case would be parallel with that of the
Peach and its Plum stock. But we do not understand that to be the point under
discussion, any more than whether it is possible for the nurseryman to sup-
ply his customers if he is to trust to so slow a process as layering.

Upon the whole, it seems to be a safe conclusion that Rhododendrons are
like other plants ; that where suitable stocks can be found, there is no good
reason why they should not be grafted; and that when stocks are unsuitable,
the same bad consequences attend the operation as in other cases. Grafted
plants may be as good or better for garden purposes than any others, or
they. may be much worse; all depends upon the stock.

ON THE PRUNING OF FRUIT TREES DURING THE FIRST YEAR

AFTER PLANTING.

No rule is without its exception ; and the writer of an article on this
subject in a late number of the "Revue Horticok" is in my opinion wrong,
when he lays it down as a general rule that every tree which has been trans-
planted ought to be cut down to the height of a foot, or a little more above
the level of the soil. Such treatment is very good in some cases but not in
others. It seems to me to be very good in two cases, viz : —

1. When the trees, after being taken from a nursery, have been long
exposed for sale ; for then their roots are tired, somewhat dried, and the
lateral branches have often suffered by carriage from place to place.

2. When the plants that leave the nursery as pyramids have been deprived
of their lower lateral members, which are indispensable to the formation of
a regular pyramid.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 87

In these cases cutting down is the best mode of treating a pear tree,
whether it be in the shape of a pyramid or of a fan-trained tree ; but why
have recourse to it when unnecessary ? It can be easily dispensed with, as
a few examples will show.

In November, 1851, a nursery was destroyed, but all the plants in it,
good and bad, were replanted ; both plans, viz., cutting down and not
cutting down, were tried, and the results obtained by the latter mode of
treatment were as follows : — The worst plants were not cut down until the
month of March in this year, and their renewed growth was directly propor-
tional to the mode in which they were taken up, and of the state of vitality
of their roots ; nor did they disappoint the hopes which had been entertained
of them.

The good pyramids taken up with care were replanted with all necessary
precaution. .In March, 1852, they were not cut down but pruned one-fifth
shorter than they were before. The flowers which appeared the first year
were taken off, in order that the fruit might not absorb the sap which should
be expended in the elongation of the wood. In 1853 these pyramids were
pruned just as if they had been of old standing, and they produced a certain
quantity of fruit. These trees are now in as satisfactory a state as possible.
It is true that only the fruit on the vigorous branches had been kept, and
that, as in 1852, all the flowers on the more feeble branches have been
destroyed. By this means, and by pinching in April, May, June, and July,
the equilibrium of the sap has been maintained, and a perfect harmony has
been established in the wood of the trees.

It did not appear prudent to delay the pinching until August, as advised
by M. Jussiaume ; by this time the vigorous buds have gained so much on
the more feeble ones that it is too late to establish the equilibrium, which
the development of strong parts has destroyed.

The best plan to be followed by those who intend to plant fruit trees is
to choose the best formed plants from the neighboring nurseries, and to
plant them from the month of November with the necessary precautions,
which are but too often overlooked. Thus if a tree is to be replaced, the
old soil should be removed and a new soil rich in humus should be substi-
tuted. If at the time of plantation the ground is very dry, it is advisable,
when the plant is well in its place at the proper depth, to water the earth at
the foot of the tree from a pot with a rose ; the roots will thus be consolida-
ted, and will strike before winter.

In November, 1852, some fan-trained pear trees, and not less than five
yards in extent, were also transplanted, at the same place — Petit Bourg.

88 THE FLORIST AND

Treated as above, they recovered perfectly, and this year fruit has been
kept on the stronger branches ; the quantity exceeded all expectation.
The trees were, it its true, transplanted with the greatest care, and then all
the roots were taken up for a yard and a half at least from the stem.

The same plan was followed on an occasion when an old orchard [Norman-
die) was destroyed ; the trees from it were transplanted here and there in
the kitchen garden, and they have yielded excellent fruit.

The pyramids which were not cut down yielded this year as many as
eight pears each, of good quality. Amongst them were some Duchesses
(d'Angouleme) which were not less than a foot in circumference, and to all
appearance the next gathering will be much more abundant.

These facts lead to the conclusion that cutting down is not indispensable,
and that it is not wise inconsiderately to sacrifice that which is useful, and
so to defer, for perhaps four years, the production of the means of enjoy-
ment.

. I am aware that the necessity for cutting down is attributed to the
horizontal position which the lateral branches of the bottom of the pyramid
must be compelled to take, in spite of their tendency to grow upwards.
But this necessity is by no means so obvious when it is remembered that
there are many trees which, without being cut down, have their branches
brought from a vertical to a horizontal position by the weight of their fruit.
So much is this the case in many instances that the branches have either
to be propped up from below or tied back from above. — M. Bardoriy in
Revue Sorticole.

CENTRADENIA ROSEA.

Though not very showy, this is really a useful little plant, which, under
ordinary cultivation, may be made to blossom abundantly all through the
winter and spring. Cuttings struck early this month, and properly attended
to, will be bushy plants by the end of June, at which time they should be in
5-inch pots, and should be removed from the stove or propagating house to
a light and airy greenhouse shelf. If large specimens are not wanted, they
should not be shifted after this, but should be allowed to become somewhat
pot-bound, and they will not require any further attention, except moderate
waterings till the end of September, when a few of the plants may be intro-
duced to a light and warm shelf in a stove or intermediate house, where a

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 89

temperature of 65'^ or 70*^ by day can be given. The rest may follo-w suc-
cessively ; and it is worthy of remark that they do not open well except in
tolerably bright light ; they, therefore, do best placed on a shelf near the
glass. For soil take equal parts of loam, sandy peat, and vegetable mould,
mixed with a good sprinkling of powdered charcoal. — G-ard. Qliron.

THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER.

Mr. A. M. Spangler, who formerly conducted the Pennsylvania Farm
Journal, when that excellent paper was located at Lancaster, and under the
editorial charge of our friend and contributor, Prof. Haldeman, has com-
menced the publication in this city, of a quarto monthly, under the above
title. Two numbers have already appeared, which in appearance are fully
equal to any paper of the kind published in this country. The contributions
so far are excellent, and we know that it will, in this department, receive
the support of some of the best known wi'iters in this city and its neigh-
borhood.

The price at which it is published is very low, being but 25 cents a year
for eight quarto pages of excellent reading matter. Persons wishing to
subscribe, and we hope there are many of our readers who will, will address
A. M. Spangler, N. E. corner of Seventh and Market streets, Philadelphia.

Mr. John Sherwood brought us for inspection a flower of his seedling
Camellia, " Ellen Morris," which was exhibited last year at the Pennsyl-
vania Horticultural Society. The flower is very large, imbricate, expand-
ing well, color clear white, with pink stripes on some of the petals. It is
a worthy addition to the already numerous Philadelphia flowers.

Any cause whether natural or artificial which retards flowering is attended
with results of a similar kind more or less marked. When fruit trees have
been in a non-flowering condition, they sometimes suddenly produce abund-
ance of blossoms. A season in which blossoming has been scanty is often
succeeded by one in which is profuse. When the flower-buds are taken

90 THE FLORIST AND

off earlj it sometimes happens that an annual plant, such as Mignonett»3 is
rendered biennial or perennial. The tree Mignonette is produced in this way.
When plants are grown in a rich soil, it sometimes happens, that in place of
producing flowers, they develope branches and leaves luxuriantly. In these
instances cutting the roots, pruning the branches, taking a ring of bark out
of the stem so as to retard the descent of sap, and transplanting into poor
soil, frequently cause the plants to flower. Injuries inflicted on forest trees
late in the season sometimes give rise to autumn flowering. When a branch is
grafted on a vigorous stock it often happens that its flowering is accelerated.
By this process a check is put to luxuriant branching, and the sap of the old
stock stimulates the young graft or scion. Balfour.

Reported for the Florist.

PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE.

Stated meeting at room, Masonic Hall, South Third street, Wednesday
morning, February 8th, 1855. Mr. Landreth, President, in the chair.
Minutes of preceding meeting read and approved. Messrs. Morris and
Andrew M. Spangler, were elected life members. One proposition for
life membership, and two for resident contributing membership were
received.

The Secretary reported having distributed copies of the published minutes
of the Society, from 1T85 to 1810, to a number of kindred societies.
Letters from Mr. H. Meigs, Secretary of N. Y. Farmer's Club, and from
Mr. J. W. Degrauw, Secretary of the Brooklyn Horticultural Society, were
read, returning thanks for copies. A pamphlet, containing the address of
Mr. Degrauw before his society, was received. Dr. Kennedy, in behalf of
the committee on Agricultural statistics of Pennsylvania, reported that the
committee had learned since their appointment, that the State Society were
engaged in a similar object, and in furtherance of it had already sent
printed questions to nearly all the county societies in the State. To some
of these, replies had been received and been printed in the volume of the
proceedings of the State Society, published by authority of the last legisla-
ture. It was true that no such questions had ever reached this society, nor
was any account of the Philadelphia Society contained in the volume afore-
said ; nevertheless, the general subject of state statistics more properly
belonged to the State Society. That body had already commenced the

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 91

good work of collecting definite information, and as action on our part
might be regarded as interfering with those, he, (Dr. K.,) moved that the
committee be discharged ; which was so ordered.

Dr. A. L. Elwyn feared that the State Society would not succeed this
year in obtaining the publication of its proceedings by legislative enact-
ment.

H. Ingersoll proposed to amend 19th by-laws, so as to render the Presi-
dent eligible for more than two terms.

Dr. Kennedy moved, that the Executive Committee be requested to
report at next meeting on the expediency of the Society's holding an exhi-
bition next autumn.

Voted, on motion of Dr. Kennedy, that delegates be now elected to
represent this society at the next session of the United States Agricultural
Society, to be held at Washington, on the 28th inst.

Voted, on motion of A. S. Roberts, that the delegation be appointed by
the chair, and that they have power to fill vacancies ; whereupon the follow-
ing gentlemen were appointed: A. L. Kennedy, A. T. Newbold, A. S.
Roberts, H. Ingersoll, J. McGowan, C. W. Sharpless, A. Clement, S. Wil-
liams, J. S. Haines, S. C. Willits, Gr. Blight, C. W. Harrison, Gen. R.
Patterson, J. Pearson, and S. C. Ford.

Dr. Elwyn laid before the society, samples of dust from the flues at the
foundry of Mr. Charles S. Smith. This dust collected in large quanties,
both from the bituminous and anthracite coal fires. It had been spread on
land, and was believed to produce about one-half the fertilizing effect of
guano. Further experiments were necessary before its exact value could
be determined. These he hoped members of the Society would make.
For such a purpose they would cheerfully be furnished with a supply on
applying at Mr. Smith's Iron Works. The researches of chemists and the
introduction of guano, had done much towards directing the attention of
farmers and others to concentrated manures, and the employment of waste
products. The samples before the society were evidences in point. Further
investigation would reveal many substances now mere refuse, which either
alone or in mixture, would prove rich boons to the agriculturist. Dr.
Elwyn had learned that during last season, guano had not proved signally
beneficial to the lands of Chester county on which it had been used. When
mixed with lime the effect had been much more manifest.

Mr. A. M. Spangler had had occasion to observe the comparative yield of
land manured with guano and superphosphate of lime, and in nearly all
cases had the latter proved more advantageous, and this not only on wheat

92 THE FLORIST AND

but on grass. Moreover, grass and hay from land thus manured were much
better relished by cattle. This fact was beginning to be well understood by
farmers. He had recently been offered a lot of hay from Delaware county
at the fall market price, and one of the recommendations urged by the
vendor, was, that it had been cut from "boned" land. Such hay had been
said to support cattle better. He would ask for Mr. Clements' opinion on
this point.

Mr. S. C. Willits prefered guano, but having been unable a few years
since to find any in this market, he had purchased some superphosphate of
lime, and at the same time a quantity of a material called the " Fertilizer."
He had spread 47J bushels of each on equal parts of the same field, leaving
a portion unmanured, and from that day to this he has been unable to
discover any appreciable difference in the crops. He of course, knew nothing
of the purity of the articles which he had purchased, nor could any farmer
know until there was a state chemist appointed, whose duty it should be to
inform us of the nature aforesaid, and guard against fraud in concentrated
manures. Guano had been placed on a field adjoining the above, and its
effects three years after wheat, were markedly favorable, yielding about IJ
tons timothy to the acre. A portion of his farm of 135 acres had formerly
belonged to Mr. Walker, once a well known "book farmer" of this county,
who before the days of bone-dust, had heavily " boned" the land, putting
on the bones, for the Avant of suitable mills, in large pieces, many of which
now remained undecomposed.

Dr. Elwyn, inquired what redress the farmer had, in case unadvertised
manure failed to come up to the assurances of the vendor. Were such
manures like quack medicines, sold for cash, the buyer losing both time and
money ? He had recently seen a decision of an English court on this
subject, which seemed to him peculiarly just, and one which he hoped would
be sustained in this country : a farmer had bought on credit a quantity of
concentrated manure, warranted to produce a certain result, the crop not
equalling the grain guarantied, the purchaser declined payment, the vendor
brought suit but failed to recover ; the court holding that he had not com-
plied with the terms of his contract.

Mr. Roberts had sown guano on his lawn. The first year the grass was
beautiful, the second, inferior, the third, worse than before the manuring.

H. Ingersoll, Esq., stated that his experience agreed perfectly with that
of Mr. Roberts. He deemed guano too stimulating, acting, so to speak, as
a blister, and when the stimulus was over, say in three years, leaving the
soil poorer than before. Mr. Isaac Newton had a large estate in Virginia.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 93

Four years ago he liad sown six hundred acres of worn out lands near the
Potomac with guano. The yield of wheat was wonderful, and the clover
■which had been plentifully sown, at the rate of ten quarts of seed to the
acre was most luxuriant. The year following he had spread with plaster
turned the clover under and guano again. The crops since had been very
fine. Last year was not favorable to guano on account of the drought.
That manure needed moisture. In Virginia the practice had been under
slavery to sow no grass seed with their wheat. Give him guano, free labor
grass seed, and a little plaster, and he would undertake to renew in a short
time all the worn out lands in the Old Dominion.

Adjourned.

Wednesday/, March 7th, Stated Meeting. — Mr. Landreth, President in
the chair. After the reading of the minutes the following gentlemen pre-
viously proposed were elected members, viz :

Messrs. Wm. Hacker and J. T. Balderston, of Philadelphia, and Mr. A.
Ter Hoeven, of Frankford.

Three propositions for resident membership were received.

The Secretary reported having sent to additional kindred societies, copies
of the published minutes of the society. Letters acknowledging the receipt
of copies were read from John Day, President of the Bradford Farmers'
Club, Westchester County, N. Y., and from Gen. J. T. Worthington, Presi-
dent of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, Chillicothe, Ohio. Copies of
the proceedings of the Ohio State Board, and of the Pennsylvania State
Agricultural Society, received in exchange, were presented.

The Executive Committee recommended that action on the question of
holding an exhibition next Autumn be postponed until next meeting.

Mr. A. G. Roberts, in behalf of the Committee on annual appropriation,
reported that the old county appropriation would be continued this year by
the present city government.

Dr. A. L. Kennedy, from the delegation to the United States Agricultur-
al Society, reported the proceedings of that body at its late session in
Washington, neither the time nor place of holding the annual exhibition of
that society had been determined. The question had been left with the
President and Executive Committee.

Mr. Isaac Newton offered a resolution appointing a committee to confer
with the President of the United States Society, on the propriety of their
next exhibition being held in Philadelphia, which, after discussion by Messrs.

94 THE FLORIST AND

Roberts, Elwjn, Biddle, Spangler, Newton, Willits and Ingersoll, was
amended by Mr. Roberts, and passed finally in the following form,

Resolved, By tbe Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture, that in
their opinion an exhibition by the United States Agricultural Society might
be advantageously held at Philadelphia, and that a committee of three be
appointed to confer with the President of the United States Agricultural
Society, and the Executive Committee of the State Society on the subject.

On motion, that the President be chairman of the committee, and that he
appoint his colleagues, which was so ordered. The committee consists of
Messrs. Landreth, Biddle and Newton.

H. Ingersoll, Esq., called up his resolution proposed at preceding meeting,
to strike out 19th By-Law, which now renders the President ineligible for
more than two years, which resolution after much discussion was lost.
S. H. Austin, Esq., called attention to a tract of 204 acres above German-
town, which had been purchased by a number of gentlemen, with the inten-
tion of building a large hotel thereon. He believed that this society would
fiind it advantageous to hold the annual exhibitions there in future, and
doubted not that highly favorable terms might be made with the proprietors,
whereupon

Dr. J. A. McCrea, moved that a committee of three be appointed to
examine the above ground, the terms on which it can be used, &c., and
report at next meeting, which was carried, and Messrs. McCrea, Blight, and
Sheridan, were appointed the committee.

The chair introduced to the meeting, Dr. John A. Warder, of Cincinnati,
who delivered a brief and interesting address on the subject of hedges. He
confined himself to the 31aclura or Osage Orange, a plant which he deemed
especially adapted to the purpose of hedging, in this country. The subject
was one of immense importance, especially to the west, where timber was
scarce and land cheap, and where thousands of miles of these hedges were
being set. For land worth more than $100 per acre and in fields of less
than twenty acres, hedges were not to be recommended. Hedge planting
in America had been a series of failures not to be contended on account of
the climate, for the Madura was indigenous to this country, but from
injudicious planting and treatment, planting too close, too near to a dead
fence, want of cultivation and of sufficiently severe pruning. These were
the causes of failures, and his method was designed to avoid them, tie
subsoiled and planted one foot apart. The following spring he cut off all
the vertical branches three inches from the ground, barely trimming the
lateral ones at their ends. The next year he repeated the cutting at the

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 95

same height. The following year he cut again but at the height of six
inches. By this method he obtained a perfect mat of branches near the
ground where they were needed, five feet across and about twenty inches
high, which formed a complete protection in itself. Less trimming would
be required during the succeeding years, but bold cutting as above must be
resorted to if an impenetrable thicket close to the ground would be secured.
Frequently hedges were found, as it were, upside down, thick and bushy above,
but wide gaps below through which a hog might creep, the branches having
disappeared. The Maclura was of easy propagation and rapid growth. It
did not sucker and could be plowed as near as you could coax your horses.
The vertical shoots would run up the first year to a height of from four to
ten feet. The plan of wattling or interweaving the branches had been tried,
in order to produce an impenetrable wall and save ground. This had been
attempted four years ago at the Cincinnati cemetery, and had not succeeded.
He could now get his leg through and the hedge was getting worse. The
Maclura hedge, treated as he proposed, was a good thing for railroads, and
could be set and kept trimmed for three years, at about seventy -five cents
a rod. The Railroad Company paying for the ploughing.

The chair stated that an Osage Orange tree, planted in the vicinity of
the city by his father, fifty years ago, was still growing luxuriantly. He
doubted if the plants were trimmed as proposed they would live that long.

Dr. Kennedy called attention to some beautiful and exact engravings of
insects injurious to vegetation, made by Mr. R. D. Glover, now of Washing-
ton city.

Dr. Elwyn requested members to examine some faithful oil paintings of
horses and cattle from life by Mr. Clarkson, an excellent artist in that line
in this city. These paintings had been politely sent to the room for inspec-
tion.

Adjourned.

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The stated meeting of the Society occurred on Tuesday evening, at Con-
cert Hall, and gave general satisfaction. For the future, all the monthly
meetings will be held in this Saloon. The President in the chair. The
display was very good — collections from four green houses were shown.
In Mr. Buist's there were several new and interesting plants — the Ben-
drohium WalUcJianum, Azalea Iveryana and Geranium Snow Ball^ a

96 THE FLORIST AND

beautiful Rogiera tJiyrsiflora, and an exquisite seedling Camellia, a white
tinted with rose. In Mr. Fahnestock's were a very graceful Acacia puhe-
seens, Camellias, and other choice plants. In Mr. Tucker's, several species
of beautifully trained Kennedyas, Azalea pallida (new,)and a dozen hand-
some seedling Cinerarias. Mr. Raabe brought a seedling white Azalea
and vases of Hyacinths. Mr. Mackenzie exhibited Camellias, a new seed-
ling of a rosy-pink color, his Ellen, and Heine des fleurs. Cut Camellias
of the finest varieties were exhibited by Mr. Buist's, Mr. Cope's, and Mr.
Lambert's gardeners. D. R. King's gardener presented a large Moss Rose,
bearing a fine pyramid of flowers. Six beautiful baskets of cut flowers
were shown by the gardeners of Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Cope, Mr. Tucker and
Mr. Lambert. A brace of Cucumbers from Mr. Tucker's, and a dish of
Asparagus from Mr. Cope's houses, were on the tables. The following
premiums were awarded by the Committee on Plants and Flowers — twelve
cut Camellias — for the best to Robert Buist ; for the second best to Jerome
Grafi", gardener to C. Cope. Collection of twelve plants — for the best, to
Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A. Fahnestock ; for the second best, to
Robert Buist. Collection of six p)lants—iox the best to Wm. Thompson,
gardener to J. Tucker. Specimen plant — for the best, to Thomas Robert-
son, gardener to B. A. Fahnestock ; for the second best, to Robert Buist.
I^ew plants, a premium of three dollars to Robert Buist, for Dendrobium
WalUchianum, Azalea Iveryana and Gerayiium Snowball. Table de-
sign— for the best to Cornelius O'Brien, gardener to D. Rodney King.
Basket — for the best, to Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin ; for the
second best to Jerome Grafi", gardener to C. Cope. Bouquets — for the best
pair, to J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert ; for the second best,
to Jerome Graff, gardener to C. Cope. For a splendid Camellia, the silver
medal, to Robert Buist, Special premiums of one dollar each, for fine
Baskets, were awarded to Wm. Thompson, gardener to J. Tucker ; to Mark
Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin, and to J. J. Habermehl, gardener to
John Lambert. The Committee noticed a fine seedling Camellia, by P.
Mackenzie ; a dozen beautiful seedling Cinerarias by John Tucker's gardener,
and a fine seedling Azalea and Hyacinths by Peter Raabe.

By the Committee on Vegetables — Special premiums of one dollar each,
to Wm Thompson, gardener to John Tucker, for a brace of cucumbers, and
to Jerome Graff, gardener to Caleb Cope, for a dish of asparagus.

The Committee of Finance reported upon the Treasurer's statements of
accounts.

A bill for printing transactions was ordered to be paid.

An interesting letter was read from Dr. Joseph Wilson, Jr., Surgeon of
of the U. S. Navy, from U. S. ship Supply, on Chinese horticulture.

On motion, ordered that the Special Committee to confer with City
Councils on the subject of so arranging Lemon Hill grounds so as to provide
for the establishmemt of a Botanic Garden, be instructed to embrace also
Hunting Park as an arboretum, and the general improvement of any other
public squares.

The President appointed the standing committees for the ensuing year.

IPOMOEA RUBRO— COERULEA Hook

HOETICULTUEAL JOUENAL. 97

THE BRITISH OAK.

The growing attention wliicli the culture of ornamental trees is receiving,
is very gratifying to one who truly loves them. Many of those who have
hitherto planted trees, are beginning to learn that there are other sources of
pleasure in them, besides the mere shade they afford. It has been too fre-
quently sufficient for, the proprietor of a plot of ground to feel and to know
that he has had trees, " shade trees," planted around him. He has scarcely
felt interested enough in the subject to inquire into their history, or even
their names ; or, should his curiosity be accidentally so far excited, he
smiles at your " jawbreaking' name, and that is the end of it. He felt it
something of a duty to plant " trees." "No one builds a house, but also
plants trees." He has planted " trees ;" fashion should be satisfied. He
has paid its debt. It will always be so, "more or less." Men of taste in
these matters have hitherto been the exception, and it will in all probability,
be a long, long time before they anywhere near approach the rule. "We can
only congratulate ourselves that their number is steadily increasing, and
that it is not near so difficult now, as it has been to understand, that arbori-
culture comprehends something more than the growing of a few Maples,
Elms, or Balm of Gileads.

I have been led to make these reflections by the extraordinary drafts that
have been made through our nurseries for the few past years on the nume-
rous kinds of rare evergreens. So great and so extensive has been the
desire to possess these, that for some, prices have been paid that would
startle our English friends, accustomed as they even are to great liberality
in horticultural affairs. It is a gratifying sign of arboricultural progress,
though in some cases it may seem to be paying dear for a toy ; but toy as
it may be, it is unlike many other objects of momentary pleasure for which
hundreds are daily and hourly squandered, it is one which each successive
day adds to its value and its price, and one to which years but reveal new
beauties and new charms.

It is to be hoped that our zealous friends will not quite overlook the
merits of deciduous trees and shrubs in forming their collections. They
possess points of interest with many of which evergreens cannot compete.
In flower, they are often gorgeous and gay, and always interesting. Their
leaves exhibit more variety than evergreens ; and their forms and outlines
are more varied and picturesque. Their whole appearance is lighter, and
there is a joyousness in their wind-waved branches, which will at all times
please. The evergreen, it is true, adds to the cheerfulness of a winter
7 •

98 THE FLORIST AND

residence, and gives it an appearance of warmth and protection. It also
adds materially to the effect of summer scenery, by the greater depth of its
shade. We should sadly miss the few evergreens we have, and could find
innumerable uses for a great many more. It is only where they are made to
preponderate in the embellishments of a country residence designed chiefly
as a summer resort, that their extensive employment is injudicious, or the
advantages of deciduous trees so very superior. Of the many fine decidu-
ous trees we have in cultivation, the British Oak is far from being the least
beautiful. Its rarity is a great loss to many otherwise good collections.
Many of our enterprising nurserymen who strive to keep pace with the
wants of the age, have fair stocks of it now on hand, and we may soon
hope to find it more common.

It thrives remarkably well in our climate, better in my opinion than it
does in its own. Near Philadelphia, we have specimens 70 and 80 feet
high, and trunks four to five feet thick. In this respect, it has a much
more " free and easy" way of getting along through the world, than its
nearest congener, our own White Oak ; which in spite of the far-famed skill
of British arboriculturists, has never been made to do well in British climes.

Our part of the country is famed for its numerous fine specimens of very
rare trees. There is something rare and beautiful to be seen in almost every
lane, and at every neglected corner. Last summer I fell in with a specimen
of the British Oak, which impressed me the more favorably of its peculiar
beauty, than any specimen of it I had ever seen before. It was a young
,tree, probably not thirty years old ; thirty or forty feet high, with a trunk
«over twenty inches in diameter. Its branches commenced extending from
the trunk, about six feet from the ground, with a radius of perhaps
fifteen feet ; and its outline roundly tapering to the top, formed a most
pleasing object of perfect symmetry. This tree, too, was literally covered
with its long-stalked acorns, the pale green color of which, backed by the
bluish hue of the foliage, gave the tree a peculiar character when seen at a
long distance off.

The English Oak is denied the pleasure of participating in the festivities
of the " Indian Summer," which our partial friend " Sam " dispenses to his
own native born children ; while the Sweet Gum and Sassafras, the Maple
and the Tupelo, appear before their admirers in their most brilliantly colored
foliage, the British Oak lingers in the rear, in its green summer clothing,
which it retains till unceremoniously hustled behind the scenes of winter, by
the first severe white frost.

If the Oak is transplanted at the end of its second year from the acorn,

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 99

it will readily bear transplanting any of the few following years. The best
time to transplant Oaks is the spring, early — before the sap has commenced
activity. The Oak makes few fibres during the winter season, so that the
usual advantages derived from fall planting are inoperative here. In plant-
ing, also, they should be planted rather deeper than most other trees, or
they are apt to die back considerably when the warm weather comes. With
these precautions, this beautiful tree can be managed very successfully.

Thomas Meehan.

Mr. Editor :

Permit me to endorse all that Mr. Sanders has said, in a late number, in
favor of the family of Ferns. I cannot conceive a more interesting class of
plants, or one that will adapt itself so well to the fancy of man, as the
humble Fern. Enter a Fernery, either from tropical or temperate regions,
at any season of the year, and you will find something to admire. Here
the curving frond developing itself in true artistic form, there another more
advanced, in all the beauty you could desire, while yonder the noble frond
of some gigantic Tree Fern bends itself over the more lowly companions as
if to protect them from harm ; all remind us of the wisdom and goodness of
the Omnipotence in clothing the earth with vegetation, and giving to each
plant a constitution suitable to that part of the globe in which it was placed.
The hardy Ferns are no less curious and handsome in their season of growth,
and may be grown by any person having a few square feet of ground in a
shady corner, where little else would grow ; raise thereon a mound of light
sandy earth, of any shape and size, to suit the taste of the owner, and over
that place some roots and pieces of rocks, so as to give the appearance of
natural rock-work, and among these plant the Ferns anytime in spring,
attend to watering in dry weather, and you will be amply rewarded for all
the trouble, by watching their singular development and after-beauty,
especially of a summer's evening, after having been sprinkled overhead
through the rose of a watering-pot. If a small fountain can be added, the
beauty will be much enhanced.

It is, however, to the cultivation of Ferns in dwelling-rooms, that I most
particularly wish to draw attention.

Your readers are no doubt aware, how difficult it is to keep the ordinary
greenhouse plants in health, for any length of time ; in fact, to keep them
even alive, in dwelling-rooms. Not so with the Ferns ; they may be grown

100: THE FLORIST AND

with perfect ease, and for any length of time, in dwelling-rooms, in the most
crowded cities, with perfect success. This is accomplished by means of what
are known as " Ward's Cases." They may be of any size and shape, to suit
the taste or convenience of the owner ; may fit in a window, or stand upon
a table in any part of the room. The only thing to be observed, is to avoid
the mid-day sun. The bottom and a foot of the sides may be of wood ; the
rest glazed, on the ordinary hot-bed system, or it may be glazed with large
sheets of glass ; the latter, although the most expensive, will look the hand-
somest, and show the plants to the best advantage. The case being com-
pleted, put eight or ten inches of soil in, say one-fourth part loam, the rest
peat and sharp sand ; to which add some charcoal or small pebbles, to keep
the soil open, which is of the greatest importance in Eern culture ; over the
soil place some pieces of rock and shells, to give it a natural appearance,
and among these plant the Ferns ; when this is done, sprinkle all through
a fine rosed watering-pot ; then shut down the top, or movable part of the
case ; but be careful not to over-water at first, for fear of souring the soil,
in which case the plants would remain sickly.

The cases being made as nearly air-tight as possible, it will be seen that
the plants are completely shut up from the great enemy of vegetation — a
dry and dusty atmosphere — unavoidable in dwelling-rooms ; and as evapora-
tion is prevented, watering will seldom be required, probably not more than
once in two or three weeks in summer, and much more seldom in winter.
The same thing can be accomplished with large bell-glasses as with a
« Ward Case."

The prettiest piece of miniature rock -work I ever saw, was contained
within a bell-glass of about eighteen inches in diameter. The part contain-
ing the mould was circular, and made of wood, about six inches deep, the
outside veneered with mahogany ; over the mould, which was elevated a
little in the centre, was placed small pieces of fancy rock and shells, and
among them were planted the Ferns ; the bell-glass rested in a groove in
the wood-work, and could be lifted off at pleasure. The whole stood upon
the drawing-room table, and the little Ferns, growing on their "rocky
mountain," were an object of attraction to every person who entered the
room, especially in winter.

As the family of Ferns is so very extensive, and each species, vieing in
beauty and loveliness with its neighbor, it would be difiicult to name any
handsomer than others, fit for planting in cases, but any of the following
will prove very interesting, and are all of dwarf habit :

HORiaCULTURALJOURNAL. 101

Adiantum assimile, • Asplenium ebenum,

" cuneatum, " attenuatum,

" pedatum, " fontanum,

" pubescens, " viviparunij

" reniforme, Aspidium trapezoides,

" varium, " trifoliatum,

Grymnogramina rufa, " pectinatum,

" chrysopbylla, Pteris longifolia,

" calomelanos, " rotundifolia,

" sulphurea, " serrulata,

" tomentosa, " ternifolia, and,

with such mosses as Lycopodium denticulatum, braziliense and densum, to
creep over the surface, will, when once planted and begin to grow, form, I
am sure, the most attractive piece of furniture in the room ; while the
invalid, who may be prevented from leaving the house to look upon the all-
good and all-wise Creator's works, may here admire some of the handsomest
tribe of all the vegetable kingdom, and the only tribe with which I am
acquainted that will prosper in close confinement for a lengthened period.

As a proof of how the Ferns will live and grow under close confinement,
allow me to state a case in point — not that proof from me, of the prac-
ticability of the thing, is required, for it has been proved times without end.
Some years ago, as I was about to leave the shores of Britain for those of
New Zealand, some botanists, desirous of proving whether or not it would
be possible to carry some of the most delicate of the Fern tribe, under close
confinement, through all the various degrees of temperature between us and
the antipodes, placed six varieties in a large bottle, such as are used for
holding pickles ; the roots of each plant were tied in a little damp moss, and
the mouth of the bottle securely fastened with a piece of bladder, and then
committed to my care ; in this way the inmates remained during my pass-
age, a period of five months, and were set at libert}'- on those distant shores
apparently as healthy as when they started. The bottle was a greater
object of attraction to my fellow-passengers than my cases of plants were,
and many were the inquiries after the state of the "poor bottle." I ought
to mention, that it hung in my cabin in cold weather ; at other times,
on deck.

I hope you will pardon me for "running my yarn" to such a length;
if it shall be the means of adding pleasure to any of your readers, especially
to the sick and infirm, the object of their humble servant has been attained.

Alexander Burnett,

Crermantown.

102 "' THE FLORIST AND

STUDIES ON THE ORCHIDS.*

It is not less true that the warmest countries of Asia offer to amateurs a

t

certain number of species whose magnificence is incontestible, and which
require, taken all together, a more elevated temperature and more moisture
during their period of growth than the generality of American species. The
V^anda Aeriides, Saccolabium, Dendrohium, Oalantlie^ Phajus, Phalaen-
opsis, Coelogyne, Renanthera, ^c, are besides so brilliant, so superior, that
we perfectly appreciate the especial care which is lavished upon them in
England, the only country which possesses them in large number and
strong specimens. We can assimilate to them in culture the small number
of species, more curious than really beautiful, furnished by intertropical
Africa.

It must also be noticed that all the species of the genera we have just
named, or at least the greater number, come from the torrid regions of
Asia, and require, to grow and flower in our houses, an excessive heat.
But then the Pendrobium, the Calanthe, the Phajus, and perhaps other
genera of which we are ignorant, venture some of their species into China,
Japan, New Holland, &c., far beyond the tropics; and many species, far
from confining themselves to the coast of Hindostan and the Asiatic islands,
love to elevate themselves on the plains of the interior, and seek, even in
the sub-himalayan districts, more temperate climates. Thus the magnificent
Vanda eoerulea grows in the north-east of India at 3,500 English feet of
supra-marine altitude, in the region of the oaks and pines. J^anda Crriffi-
thii has been found at 1,650 feet, and according to Dr. Lindley, who
furnishes these data, several others come from Nepaul, China, and other
temperate countries. The Coelogyne Wallichii is an inhabitant of moun-
tains ; the Q. praecox is from Upper Nepaul, much outside the tropics.
The greater part of the Pendrobium is native of the sub-himalayan districts
of the north of India, in latitudes and at altitudes where there is nothing
but temperate climates.

From these observations, to which it would be easy to join a great number
of other facts, it is possible to conclude that the amateur who has a hot
house principally destined to contain American orchids, can add to them
without fear of disappointment a large part of their brilliant Asiatic rivals.

The American continent is divided in its whole length by an immense

* Etudes sur les Orchidees , par M. P. E. De Puydt. Flore des Serres. Continued from
page 60. »

HORTICULTUEAL JOURNAL. ' 103

chain of mountains, running from north to south, and from which a crowd
of secondary chains detach themselves from west to the east, and which
ramify in every direction. Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, New Grenada,
Central America, in fact, nearly all the regions of orchids, are mountanous
countries, where the land rises abruptly from the sea, so that the Jiot'.
country,^ as it is there called, is but a band of country, more or less narrow
and of a surface relatively very small. The remainder is composed of
successive plateaux, sustained and divided by secondary chains, and elevated
gradually to various heights, which attain in the neighborhood of the great
Cordillera, even to the limit of perpetual snows.

We can easily conceive that the climate of this immense country varies
incessantly, not only by the latitude of places, but especially by theif
altitude or absolute elevation. We know in fact that the temperature
decreases one degree for every 352 feet of altitude, so that in leaving the
coasts or the low plains, and passing the mountains and the plateaux, which
succeed each other without interruption, we can pass in a single day from
the torrid zone, where the air has the heat of a furnace, to warm and
temperate zones, where the cereals of Europe flourish, then to the cold
region which produces nothing but bushes, brush, and alpine plants, and at
last attain the limit where all vegetation ceases under the influence of an
icy cold, and where eternal frosts begin.

However, if we consider that we meet orchids from the low lands to the
extreme limits where even alpine vegetation ceases, it becomes easy to
appreciate the importance of precise notions of their natural station and of
the height of the places where they grow.

The natives of America, and after them travellers, habitually characterize
the different climates which result from the obsolute height of places, giving
them the names of hot country, temperate, and cold country. The hot
region commences at the sea shore and ends, even under the equator, at an
altitude of about 2000 feet. Of course near the tropics this limit is lower.
At 2000 feet commences the temperate country, which extends with de-
creasing temperature to 6000 feet, above is the cold region.

The climate of the hot country would be intolerably warm in all seasons,
if the sea breezes and the atmospheric moisture did not remedy it a little.
Vegetation- is rare there, the sides of the mountains exposed to the sun
are often naked, and it is only in the narrow and well watered valleys
that the trees display their strength. The Orchids are met with but rarely

* Terra caliente.

104 THE FLORIST AND

in the hot region, especially towards the equator ; nearly all seem to avoid
these arid and burned districts, and it would be an error to imitate in
our houses a climate of this kind. It is towards the limit of the temperate
region that they commence to show themselves in great numbers, becoming
more numerous, more varied, and more brilliant, as the temperature becomes
more moderate. According to the illustrious Humboldt it is between 4,800
and 6,600 feet, in the least warm part of the temperate zone, and even in
the cold country, where we meet the most beautifiul Orchids, and where the
species are most numerous. The observations of all travellers confirm this
assertion. It is therefore this climate and this nature which cultivators of
Orchids should imitate, and which it is important to them to know as com-
pletely as possible.

The regions of mean elevation, the temperate lands of equatorial America,
between 3,000 and 6,000 feet in altitude, have in reality the most delicious
climate in the world. After leaving the limits of the hot region, (2,000
feet,) the greatest heat does not exceed 26 to 28 degrees cent., (78 to 82°
Fahr.,) while the thermometer never descends below 12°, (54° Fahr.) This
is nearly our Belgian August, with its variableness and extreme temperatures.
At the opposite limit, towards 4,000 to 6,000 feet, the cold of the night is
already noticeable, but the days are moderately and regularly warm.

THE ORIGIN OF WHEAT.

The experiments of M. Fabre on the Origin of Wheats and the conse-
quent conclusions adopted by several distinguished naturalists that most of
our cultivated wheats were derived from species of ^gilops, have excited
great interest on the continent of Europe. Botanists, whose ideas on the
specific distinction of plants marked by slight difierences have been carried
very far, have felt that their principles would be much shaken if it were
admitted that two plants in their opinion so totally diiferent had a common
origin, and several refutations of M. Dunal's arguments have been attempted,
although hitherto without much success.

M. Godron, of Besan9on, one of the authors of the "Flore de France,"
now in course of publication, has just, however, communicated to the
"Annales des Sciences Naturalles" the result of his observations and
experiments, which he considers as removing all weight from the arguments

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 105

of MM. Fabre and Dunal, by accounting otherwise for the phenomena on
which they were founded.

The ^gilops triticoides, the intermediate form or transitory state between
JE. ovata and wheat, is, according to M. Godron, when growing wild, found
on the edges of wheat fields in a country where 2E. ovata is a common weed,
and under other circumstances of growth, which suggested to him the idea
that it was a natural hybrid between those two plants. He has confirmed
this view by actual experiment, fertilizing JE. ovata with the pollen of
wheat, and thus producing artificially the JSl. triticoides.

M. Godron concludes, therefore, that " the observations made by M. Fabre
on the 2E. triticoides do not in any manner prove that our cultivated wheat
has for its origin the JE. ovata, nor that one species can transform itself
into another." Some friends of his in German journals go further, and
assert that he has positively disproved M. Dunal's conclusions.

We have nothing to say as to the transformation of one " species" into
another, for according to our notion of the meaning of the word, this
circumstance would but prove that the two supposed species were in fact
only varieties or races more or less permanent of one species. We would,
however, make some observations on the remainder of M. Godron's paper.

It is admitted that Triticum sativum and ^gilops ovata are strictly
congeners, as confirmed by the form of the caryopsis ; that M. triticoides is
the first known instance of a hybrid among grasses ; that M. Fabre raised
from seeds of a wild 2E. triticoides plants which produced perfect seed which
he again sowed and continued the operation during twelve successive
generations, and that during these twelve years' careful cultivation the
plants gradually acquire more and more the character of wheat ; that
JE. triticoides is occasionally, though rarely, found in sterile places sur-
rounded by vineyards.

But M. Godron observes that there were abundance of wheat fields in the
neighborhood of the spot where M. Fabre carried on his experiments, from
whence the pollen might have been wafted so as to fecundate his plants and
produce that gradual assimilation according to the laws of hybrids. So also
in the case of the 2E. triticoides in the midst of vineyards, there was quite
wheat enough cultivated in the surrounding country for some of the pollen
to have found its way over to the parent plant of 2E. ovata.

Even admitting this extraordinary dispersive power of the pollen of wheat,
and that 2E. triticoides as now produced is always of hybrid origin, it appears
to us that this very great facility of natural hybridization in a family where

106 THE FLORIST AND

it is so rare as to have been hitherto unobserved, would appear to prove
much rather that the two plants had a common origin, than that they are
really distinct species.

Another point much relied on by M. Godron is, that the first start from
M. ovata to M. triticoides is very great, and that there are no intermediates
between two plants so distinct as to be universally admitted as species.
That such should be the case with M. Godron's artificial crops would naturally
be expected, but that it is so in the wild plant remains to be proved. Most
of the supposed species of ^gilops, in the south of Europe, are very
variable, and run so much one into another, that few botanists can agree as
to what are or are not species amongst them.

With regard to the rarity of JE. triticoides in a wild state, we may observe
as a well-known fact, that when aberrant forms of natural species are pro-
duced from causes unknown to us, and therefore termed accidental varieties,
various circumstances tend in a wild state to restrict the number of individuals,
or cause the varieties to disappear altogether, whilst they may be rendered
permanent by cultivation.

In our opinion, therefore, all that M. Godron has proved is, that Triticum
sativum and ^gilops ovata are species so nearly allied that they hybridize
with a facility very unusual amongst grasses ; but we re-assert that this is
no proof that the two plants are distinct species. B.

To this Ave would add that neither M. Godron nor M. Alexis Jordon, who
has filled one hundred pages of the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences of
Lyons with speculations upon the origin of domesticated plants, have
attempted to explain what the origin of wheat has been, if it is not a domesti-
cated condition of ^gilops, as M. Fabre's experiments, in our opinion, prove
it to be. — G-ardeners Chronicle.

A simple way, according to De Candolle, of estimating the age of a
tree, is to make two notches on opposite sides of a tree, and ascertain the
mean of the number of the annual layers. Suppose two inches in depth
thus extracted, and that the one has 10 annual rings, while the other has
16, it is evident that the average rate of growth will be 13 rings per inch.
If we then ascertain the diameter of the tree, deduct the thickness of the
bark, and multiply one half the remaining diameter by 13, we shall have a
close approach to the true age of the tree. Balfour.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 107

HOLCUS SACCHARATUS.

Editor of the Florist :

Dear Sir, — It may throw some light on the inquiries of W. D., respect-
ing this '"'■ new novelty" in your last, that Van Houtte in his recent trade
list expressly says this plant ^s the Sorghum Saccharatum, and in his cata-
logue of seeds also says of it : " elle a le meme port que le Mais, et sa
culture est toutaussi facile," so that there is not the slightest doubt that this
"new benefactor to the human race," is no other than our good old friend
the Broom Corn turned up in a foreign land ! Of course seeds of it will
now be eagerly sought for, and of course immense prices will be paid. Per-
haps a cent a piece will not be too much, as, instead of the beautiful and
and the useful Broom Corn, cultivators will only see the Holcus sacchara-
tus, the new and the imported.

With regard to its power of superseding the sugar cane, it may not be
dangerous to predict that it will prove of the same nature as that of our
humble Claytonia, or more aspiring Apios, which some of our over san-
guine friends have been urging on an ignorant public as a superseder or
" substitute" for the Potato ! Holcus saccharatus is evidently the last
new hobby to be ridden to death like all the others.

While on the subject, I may note a few changes I have observed to occur
in a kindred species, and which seems to have some little bearing on the
subject of the asserted changes of ^gilops to Triticum. Some six years
ago I had presented to me a packet of "Egyptian Corn." On raising it,
it turned out to be Sorghusn cernuum, which it may not be amiss to explain
is a plant allied to the broom corn, differing, popularly at least, in its heads
of flowers and seeds, being on very short stalks so as to form when mature,
a compact bunch, which is with difficulty separated ; while the head itself is
curved as if bent downwards. Amongst them, however, were several which
had long diffuse peduncles, and erect heads ; veritable broom corn in minia-
ture. Considering these to be intruders, I cut them out soon after they
were observed. The whole of the seed thus saved, was sown the next
season, occupying perhaps one-eighth of an acre, of the produce, four-fifths
at least turned out to be as perfect Broom Corn as I ever saw.

It seems to me certain, from this, that Sorghum cernuum may become
transmuted to Sorghum saccharatum, a change certainly not as great as
recorded by Monsieur Fabre ; but which, however, took much less time to
accomplish. Pennsylvanicus.

108 THE FLOEIST AND

IPOMAEA RUBRO COERULEA.

The plant of whicli we have a figure this month, was collected in the
province of Guanaxato, in Mexico, some years ago. It is, like its congener
Ipomaea Leari, (now we believe a Pharbitis,) very beautiful when trained to
the rafters of a hot-house ; although like it, it may be planted out to advan-
tage during the summer. It is by no means a scarce plant, but it is never-
theless a very handsome one. -

AMYGDALUS PERSICA FL. PLENO.

The white and red double flowering peaches figured in No. 3 of this
volume, were introduced from China, by Mr. Fortune. They are perfectly
hardy, several large plants having been under our notice for several years
in a garden in this city, where they have been without protection.

ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE FUCHSIA FULGENS.

How is it' this fine plant is not more generally distributed, and grown
to something like the style in which it is capable of being done ? It cannot
be there is nothing to recommend it, for its foliage is always beautiful while
growing, and when in flower the whole plant is really superb. Our green-
houses are not too crowded with fine distinct looking flowers during the
summer months, to warrant the expulsion of an object like this ; on the
contrary, is it not too often the case, that this department of the flower
garden is all but neglected, for at least four months of the year ? We
suspect the real cause of the neglect of this plant to be, that to see it in its
greatest perfection, a plant requires to be somewhat prepared in the first
place ; and in the next, that the first season of its trial not being satisfac-
tory, the plant is given up, while in reality its beauty will enhance as it
becomes a more woody subject. There is but one feature that we know
against it, and that is, it does not remain a very long time in flower, but
this will not warrant its being discarded, or a host of favorites, by the same
rule as much deserve the same fate. The old plants will be found to flower

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 109

mucli longer than the young ones. Another consideration that should not
be overlooked is, that during winter when every inch of space is ■wanted in
the plant houses, this one can be stowed away under the staging in the
cellar or any place where it can be kept from freezing, and moderately dry.
Like almost all of the family, it is a native of the New World, and but,
for its altitude, the warmer portion of it. It was first introduced into
England somewhere about the year 1837, or '38. If botanists are correct,
there are yet others to be introduced, still more beautiful.

PROPAGATION AND CULTURE.

As every plant must have a beginning at some one time, we commence
with the cutting. As the object aimed at is to get as large a plant as
possible the first season, it is desirable to commence early, say by the first
of February, to put in the cuttings. To do this, it will be necessary to place
an old plant in the stove about New Year's, and as soon as it has pushed
sufficiently to get cuttings, take them ofi' with a slight portion of the head
attached, and insert in pots, with two or three inches of white sand on the
top. Place them under a bell-glass or small frame, where they will soon
commence rooting, which may be known by the tops assuming a darker
green, and commencing to grow. Shake them out of the sand, and repot
into three-inch pots, using for soil light turfy loam and decayed leaves or
vegetable mould, equal parts, with a good portion of sand, all incorporated
together.

It will not be long before they require another shift, and so on successively
till the end of May. The pots may be at least two sizes larger at each
potting, and well drained. The points of the shoots should also be stopped
two or three times. By the first of May, the green-house will be getting
vacant, and the atmosphere more congenial to their requirements. They
should be kept on the front shelf, and allowed abundance of room to keep
them from getting up leggy. They will now have become nice little bushy
plants, and need tying out as often as the branches become crowded, so as
to give the foliage as much exposure as possible. They will require fre-
quent syringing, which will impart a healthy, vigorous foliage. After the
first potting, the leaf soil may be dispensed with, and good rotten manure
used instead, but one-third instead of half in bulk ; when, if the potting has
been sufficiently liberal, and other things attended to, by mid-summer a
plant will have been obtained, that no person need be ashamed to be the

110 THE FLORIST AND

owner of. As the fall closes in, and the trees gradually put on their autumn
garbs, this will do so likewise, and ultimately fall as they do. The watering
should have been gradually withheld until finally discontinued altogether,
and the plant stowed away for winter. Where there is no hot-house, the
plant can be started in the first hot-bed to get the cuttings, or left till warm
weather does it in the green-house ; but in this case, the plant will do but
little the first season.

In commencing with the second year, it will be unnecessary to begin so
early, as a plant is already obtained of tolerable dimensions. Some time in
March, put the plants in a gentle warmth to break, having previously pruned
in the points of th6 shoots to good firm wood, and to a desirable shape,
which is globular. When sufiiciently broke, that is, when they have pushed
an inch or two, knock them out of the pots, and shake off a good portion of
the soil, but do not mutilate the roots ; repot into the same sized pots again,
only use clean ones ; and if you have the means, plunge them in a gentle
bottom heatj- this will induce a healthy root action, and when the roots are
nicely showing around the outside of the ball, repot into pots two or three
inches larger than those they have come out of.

Keep the shoots spreading by tying out, and as soon as the green-house
ranges as high as 50 at night regularly, let them have the front shelf again.
They will soon now give earnest of good things to come.

The only point we should deviate from the foregoing afterwards would be
to allow those over two years old to come along naturally in the green-house
§is the weather becomes warmer, shaking out and repotting as before, but
rarely giving any larger pot, depending upon liquid manure water for the
supply of nutriment suflScient for the well-being of the plant.

TiLGATE.

TYD^A GIGANTEA.

A stately stove plant, obtained by crossing Sciadocalyx Warczewiczii
with Achimenes picta. It seems to have the noble aspect of the former and
the gay yellow and scarlet spotted flowers of the latter. It was raised in
the garden of M. Van Houtte by Mr. Roezl, and is no doubt one of the
finest of its brilliant race. M. Planchon assures us that the flowers hansr on
much better than usual, a circumstance which he attributes to their being
sterile. — Planchon in Van Houtte, Flore des jSen'es tt. 975-6.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. HI

EMMONS' AGRICULTURE OF NEW YORK.

One of our exchanges, the "Rural New Yorker," published at Rochester,
in its issue of March 10th contains a favorable notice of the fifth volume of
Dr. Emmons' Agriculture of New York. Whilst it admits the work to be
"deficient in the detail of those facts most important for the farmer," it is
pronounced "a creditable performance," "important," the "engravings
and coloring worthy of great praise," the "volume creditable to the State
wherever seen," and Dr. Fitch is said to be "probably at the head of the
Entomologists of the Union." We are informed, also, that the Legislature
has voted money to the State Agricultural Society, to enable this gentle-
man to prosecute his researches on noxious insects.

Considering that the work of Dr. Emmons is published under the patron-
age of a great State, able and willing to encourage science, and which has
already published many volumes which are magnificent monuments of science,
(such as those of Hall, Torrey, Beck and Vanuxem,) we are sorry, that in a
field which promised the finest and most original scientific and practical
results, there should have been so tremendous a failure.

Professor Emmons has occupied himself in Natural Science twenty-five or
thirty-years, and he was Professor of Natural History in Williams College.
This position implies some knowledge of Entomology. He was subsequently
one of the State Geologists of New York ; and this, also, implies a know-
ledge of fossil genera and species ; a knowledge which, Avhen acquired, may
be applied to any branch of Natural History. How he managed to give
currency to a belief in his Entomological talents, we do not know, and we
are equally ignorant how any Naturalist should have produced so discredit-
able a book, and how any agricultural editor, who should protect the public,
could recommend such a scientific imposition. The book purports to con-
tain descriptions of the more common and injurious species of insects ; are
Cremastocheilus Hentzii, Cicindela haemorrhoidalis, Cupes capitata or
Midas filatus, either common or injurious?

Bad as the work is, it would have probably been much worse, but for Dr.
Fitch, who is declared by our exchange to be at the head of the Entomolo-
gists of the Union, upon whose labors a much greater portion of it is based
than appears at first view. In 1848, Dr. Fitch was employed in the Ento-
mological Department of the New York State Cabinet; and in 1849, his
first catalogue of its contents was published ; and if we wonder why Dr.
Emmons has "described" a number of species in some genera, Avhere one

112 THE FLORIST AND

would have suflficed, and none in others which should have been included,
a reference to the catalogue accounts for the fact, the book being, to a great
extent, an enumeration of the species placed in the cabinet and named by
Dr. Fitch. Thus, Dr. Emmons has followed the error of Dr. Fitch in
Omophron, and he has a species, ^^ Uuchlora coelehs," (named from its fine
green color,) and we find that Dr. Fitch has the same ; his supposed genus
has been abandoned, and the species quoted by Fitch and Emmons never
belonged to it. Moreover, in his execrable application of English names to
insects. Dr. Emmons has given to this genus of green insects the name of
brown beetle! The insect in question is probably Anomala lucicola of
Fabricius. The Upis pennsylv aniens and StapJiylinus cyanipennis of
both these authors are in the wrong genus, but Fitch quotes for the former
the correct author, Degeer, whilst Dr. Emmons is sufficiently original to
quote Dejean, who never described or quoted it under this name. Har'pa-
lus pleuriticus is credited to Rafinesque, who never wrote on this genus.

Highly as we esteem the labors of Dr. Fitch on the Hessian fly, we are
very far from regarding him with the Rural New Yorker, as at the head of
American Entomological science. We could name half a dozen who stand
far above him. Authors who with Fitch, followed by Emmons, would place
Philonthus cyanipennis in the genus Staphylinus, are twenty years behind
the age, and must have a very moderate knowledge of entomology and
entomological books.

Emmons' " descriptions" are abominable ; but this might have been reme-
died by citing the works of entomologists, (with volume and page,) where
descriptions could be found. But he has, in very many cases, suppressed
authorities, even when he has appropriated their figures. Many of the
genera cannot be determined from the figures, whilst the short descriptions
of a line or two, (entomologists often give fifteen or twenty lines,) are often
quoted from the synopsis of Westwood and Stephens, even the scope of
which he has entirely misconceived. Those works were intended for British
genera, and when the family characters were determined, it was evident that
for a family containing but two British genera, a generic character showing
their difi'erence respectively, would be sufficient ; but if there were six
genera, the differences between them would have to be stated in such a
manner as to distinguish each one from all the rest, and yet they might not
distinguish any of the six from foreign genera. In the case of Omophron,
Dicaelus, and Sphaerodorus, no description is given, evidently because they
are not British- forms, and therefore not found in Westwood & Stephens.
Thus Westwood's characters for Bembidium are " Thorax truncate, cordate,

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 113

eyes extremely prominent ; elytra tubercled." Emmons gives (p. 53,
" Thorax truncate, cordate ; elytra tubercled ; eyes very prominent." He
"describes" six species, and on p. 20, "figures" five, with the aid of Dr.
Fitch's collection. The description of the thorax and eyes belongs equally
to other genera, whilst we refer the reader to his five figures on p. 20, to
determine how many of them have the "elytra tubercled." In a similar
manner, Westwood's description of Engis is tacked to the American Dacne,
fasciata, which is not an European form. The doctor occasionally quotes
Dojean & Say, although he seems not to be aware that in most of these
instances he might have got his generic characters from them. But he is as
incompetent to draw the proper characters from books as from specimens.

The author encourages young Entomologists by stating of the Lamelli-
corns, (p. 63,) that by due attention to the organs he mentions, " the
student will be able to determine the position an unknown insect may
occupy." But what if the student should resemble the "professor" in
being incapable of the " due attention ?" Let us give an example. These
Lamellicorns contain a shining black beetle with a square prothorax, found
in rotten wood, and which is very slow and awkward in its movements.
Emmons figures it in pi. 10, fig. 5, and the antenna (fig. b,) shows that it
has the Lamellicorn character described by him, a character which is one of
the easiest to perceive in the whole range of entomology, and it is figured in
plate 12, figs. 0 p q^ &c., and pi. 10, figs. 4, 6, 9. Moreover, the insect is
figured by Beauvois, and fully described by Kirby, in a work which the
doctor had before him, and quotes for other species, yet this insect is made
a Scarites ! (pi. 18, fig. 14,) with the end of the antennae not lamellicorn ;
an error which is as great as to consider a ground-hog and a hog, a cat or a
cat-squirrel, members of the same family. The two are more unlike than
an eagle or an owl, or a "possum" and a kangaroo, A boy of 14, in the
entomological class of an agricultural school, should be expelled for such
a blunder. The reader may compare pi. 10, fig. 5, 5, with pi. 18, fig. 4, /.

In a similar manner he says correctly, (p. 94,) the Heteromera 'J com-
prise" those insects in which the four anterior tarsi are five-jointed. Here
he has a family Diaperidse, of which Westwood (Vol. I., p. 313, fig. 37, 5,)
gives an English species much like our own well known Diaperis hydni,
which Dr. Emmons should have cited. He next passes to the Tetramera,
without mentioning their characteristics or telling which of his families he
includes in them ; nor does he mention what kind of feet the Phytophaga
(p. 129) have. Compare the four-jointed tarsus on pi. 14, fig. 16, A, with
the five-jointed one of fio-, 13 g, of which the hind feet only would have four
8 *

114 THE FLORIST AND

joints. Now, bj his own characters, the latter belongs to Heteromera,
being Diaperis hydni of Fabricius. Yet Dr. Emmons, in spite of the five-
jointed tarsus, has made it a " Chrysomela" without a specific name ; for
not knowing the genus or family, he of course did not know where to look
for it. PI. 28, fig. 4, is marked " undescribed" ! Of course. He makes no
allusion to the insect in text, nor does he deign to indicate the genus, or
tell us why he thinks it undescribed. We would not be so rash as to
attempt to determine an insect from a figure in this mass of soiled paper.
But we would ask the Doctor, and his abettors, whether they knoAV
Anthrax simson, Fabr., or A. scripta, Say. Jour. Acad. Nat. Sc. III.,
p. 42, or ever saw the fig. Vol. I., pi. 3, fig. 2, of Wiedemann's Ausser
Europaische Zweiflliglige Insecten ?

Dr. Emmons states, p. 65, the Dynastidse belong to " tropical regions,"
and that their color is of a rich chestnut brown ; yet Westwood, on the
next page to that consulted by Dr. Emmons, quotes Say for Bynastes
tityus, (a green species,) found near Philadelphia; we have already seen
him making the green Euchlora brown. On the same page he refers the
common "horn beetle" to the Melolonthidse, and refers to the Glathyridse as
"all foreign to us;" of course, for no one would suspect that Dr. Emmons
ever heard of the North American genus Lichnanthe, or consulted the
Journal of the Acad, of Nat. Sciences, Vol. V., pi. 13, fig. 3.

Ignorance, without presumption, is excusable ; and we could therefore
have excused the Doctor, if he had said nothing on these families ; but he
had no right, for example, recklessly to assert the non-existence of Byrr-
hidge in New York, when his knowledge of the fact was Zero.

On p. 73, he says, the "May-beetles," plate 10, fig. 9, are known in the
country by the name of Horn-bugs. Not quite ; Lucanus, plate 12, fig. 7,
is a " Horn-bug," and he admits it as a Horn-beetle on page 269. But on
page 265, Cerambyx is called a " Horn-bug," — a fine example of the result
which arises from the use of vernacular names, which, so far from being
useful, have ever deceived their advocate, Dr. Emmons.

Thus, we commonly apply the name Wasp to Polistes, not to Vespa,
which really belongs to the Hornets ; and the unlearned Doctor has thus
put a paper-nest Wasp among what we call Hornets, apparently thinking
that Say was wrong in the genus of his JSumenes fraterna, which is neither
a Wasp nor a Hornet. The result is, that he has united the generic name
of Vespa (Hornet) to the specific nz.me, fraterna, of a Eumenes, and applied
them to a Polistes ; thus confounding three genera in one species.

HORTICULTUEAL JOURNAL. 115

Silvanus is placed among the Rhyncophora, although its situation is
entirely diflferent ; Calandra is placed under the Bruchides ; Brenthus under
Attellidae; Hylohius, Balaninus and Rhyncliaenus under Phyllobides ;
Thrips in Aphididae. Phyllohius is described, though its habits are not
given ; (it is found on the leaves of Papaw) whilst Baridius d-notatus,
one of the enemies of the potato plant, is not mentioned.

Chrysomela philadelphica, Linn. (p. 130, pi. 14, fig. 12) is not cited for
this species; it is identified from the description in Kirby, p. 210, -whom he
is vain enough to criticise, although if he had turned the leaf, and had the
ability to read entomological descriptions understandingly, he would have
recognized his species as C. Bigshyana. Kirby says : " The anterior margin
and sides of the prothorax are reddish, the remaining parts green." Emmons
says : " Front and margins of the thorax and elytra green color," the pos-
terior segment being green. He farther adds : " It does not agree with the
description of 'philadelphica by Kirby" (why should it, being a different
species ?)" who made no allusion to the margins of the thorax." Why
should he, seeing that philadelphica has no such markings ? And why
should the Doctor refer his insect to a description which did not suit it, and
not to one which did ? He tells us : " The difference /regard as sexual."

Page 197, Xylocarpa, meaning "wood fruit," for Xylocopa, and Ophion
are placed in the Evaniideae.

In the diurnal Lepidoptera of which most of our species are figured and
described in various books, it is now difficult to make an error ; yet Danaus
is placed in the family of Heliconiidoe, and the name D. plexippus belongs
to a Chinese species ; the proper name is D. erippus, Cramer, 1775, or B.
arehippus, Fabr. 1798. Limenitis is also improperly placed here. Colias
Europome, Swains, is quoted on p. 204 as a synonym of Colias Phyllodoce,
although that author did make it a Colias, but a Eurymus (Zool. 111. 2d
series, pi. 70). PI. 29, figs. 1 and 4, are not described ; they are both given
as species of Leptis, although the drawings of the antennae do not agree
with that genus, the right side of fig. 4 belongs to one genus, and the left
to another. PI. 30. There are two fig. 4s on this plate ; the genuine one
is stated to be of a young insect, although it represents an adult ; though
plate 15, fig. 4 is entirely distinct from fig. 5, Dr. Emmons thinks the two
identical ; he quotes Drury's name for one of them, and if he had consulted
this author's plate 47, fig. 4, he would have found the other, which is Libel-
lula Lydia, Drury. This author has copied figures from the work, a disguise
being attempted by reversing them. Drury's figures are much better than
the copies, yet how does Dr. Emmons expect them to be recognized, when he

116 THE FLORIST AND

could not recognize Drury's L. Lydia, and what idea can he have of species
in any branch of natural sciences, as palaeontology, in which the characters
are obscure, when he cannot determine that his figures 4 and 5 are distinct.

Plate 26, fig. 7, taken from Drury, vol. 2, and spoiled. It has two wings
on right, and one split one on the left. Figs. 1, 5, are miserable.

Plate 27, figs. 11 and 12, " undescribed." To ascertain this, it is neces-
sary to know the genera. Fig. 11 has the right wing as in the Ichneumoni-
dae, and the left perhaps of some fossil family.

Midas filatus (p. 28, fig. II,) being incorrect in Drury, (vol. I, 44, fig. 1,)
is copied even to an error in one of the wings.

The book has numerous typographical errors, some of which are the
result of ignorance, as "femor" for femwr, the Latin termination 2S for ws
Amy for Amyot, and Dr. Fitch explains the abbreviation Hf. as standing
for Hoffman, apparently not knowing that the latter is itself an abbreviation
of Hoffmansegg.

We come new to the scholarship of the author, who, it will be remem-
bered, is a college professor. He follows Kirby & Lindley in giving an
English name to each insect in his book, but he far excels them in absm-dity.
His anglicised index shows ignorance of the insects, and of the import of
their names.

Agonoderus means "without an angular neckj" it is translated ^^ angular
beetle."

Anisodactylus agricola (because found in fields,) is made " narrow
necked."

Anchomenes (fr. ayx^, to squeeze the throat,) is made ditch beetle, as
if from ayxojj a cleft.

Aphodius is translated footless beetle, as if from «, neg, and Ttws, a foot,
although it has feet and uses them quite well.

A spotted species, A. Serval, named from the spotted cat so called, is
translated "servile." Cucujus, from the South American name cucujo, is
translated mixed beetle, as if from scvxaco. Coelioxys meaning "pointed
abdomen," is turned into ceiling wasp. Ips lives in fungi and dead wood ;
it is called "vine beetle."

Notiophilus is found in moist places, whence its name, (from votoav^ a
marsh, andt'-'^^s) but Dr. Emmons calls it "notion beetle."

These names would be admirable if he had been writing a Comic
Natural History. But we have neither time nor inclination to give more
examples.

We have now taken a rapid glance at the text, without attempting to
mention a tithe of its blunders. In fact, the book contains materials for

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 117

half a dozen trenchant reviews, each of which would have enough to criti-
cise without alluding to the objections used in the other five.

"We come now to the plates. The first four are entirely copied, they
appertain to foreign species, and are not taken from the best sources. They
with many copied figures are pretended to have been drawn by E. Emmons
Jr. Plates 1, 3 and 13 are the best in the book, and we would not complain
had they all been as well done. But with all the apparent care bestowed on
plate 1, the antenna (a) is like nothing in nature ; the joints which should
set square on each other, are made to resemble a barber's pole with its wind-
ing band. Plate 2, figs. 3, 6, 7, are not recognizable. Observe the forked
spine on the left leg of plate 5, fig. 10. Plate 10, fig. 6, although the
leaves are varied, the execution defective, and the figure reversed, we have
detected as identical with one in Ratzeburg, vol. 1, plate 20, fig. 3, x. It
is not mentioned that the figure is enlarged, probably because the indication
" vergross." was not understood.

But we have already occupied too much space with this volume. We
leave it to its demerits, having entered our protest against the sending forth
of such an abortion as a specimen of American science. We sincerely
hope that when another work of the kind is published by authority of any
State or of our general government, the task will be allotted to a more com-
petent laborer.

NOTE ON DARLINGTONIA CALIFORNICA.

By the kindness of a friend, our attention has been called to the following
very curious observations by Mr. A. DeCandolle on Darlingtonia californica;
they are found in the Bibliotheque Universelle de Geneve, Archives des
Sciences Physiques et Naturelles, 1854 (November), p. 255.

" The chief characters (distinguishing Darlingtonia), according to Mr.
Torrey, are : that the stamina are less numerous than in Sarracenia, and
that in place of the disc with recurved margin, so remarkable in the typical
genus of the family, are observed five stigmata of the ordinary form.

In this last respect, the three genera (composing the family) are very
distinct : Sarracenia having an extraordinary foliaceous disc of the form of
an umbrella, Darlingtonia having five stigmata, and Heliamphora having a
truncate style, without stigmatic lobes.

The figure published by Mr. Torrey exhibits another character, not

118 THE FLORIST AND

mentioned by him, and which is very remarkable, if it be real, that is, if it
be not an error of the draughtsman. The five cells of the ovary are repre-
sented as alternate with the sepals ; but in Sarracenia purpurea, which I
have seen living, the cells are opposite to the sepals. The draughtsman
employed by Mr. Torrey, is the one to whom we owe the excellent plates in
Mr. Asa Gray's '^Genera of United States;' and in the last mentioned work,
Mr. Sprague has properly represented the cells in Sarracenia opposite to
the sepals (vol. 1, pi. 45), as they are in nature. Has he committed an
error in the plate accompanying the memoir of Mr. Torrey ? Considering
his usual accuracy, I doubt it.

On the other hand, it is difficult to believe in contrary symmetries in
genera so closely allied.

I have discovered a similar fact in the family of Campanulaceoe, and it
has enabled me to establish several genera, which are, besides, indicated by
their external appearance.

The thing is not then without a parallel, though it is very rare, and
should be well examined before being admitted. I would therefore point
out to American botanists, and particularly to Mr. Torrey, the great im-
portance of verifying figure 1, of Mr. Sprague's plate.

The genus Heliamphora can teach nothing regarding this symmetry, since
in it the number of cells does not correspond to that of the other parts of
the flower."

I send you this extract from a letter received from a friend in Meadville,
Pa., accompanying some very large and exceedingly fine potatoes. Should
you think it of use, you are at liberty to publish it.

P.

P. S. — Would remarks on the *out-door culture of the Camellia be of

service to you ?

We would be very glad to hear from our correspondent on the latter
subject. — Ed.

Finding that I had room in the box, I have put in a sample of potatoes
I raised this summer. Had I known they were so large, I should have sent
them to the County Fair; everybody says I would have got the premium.
Potatoes --this year are very small, indeed the crop is considered a failure;

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 119

all summer and this fall we have eaten potatoes no larger than walnuts •
these, of which I send you a sample, Mr. M. paid no attention to ; it was a
notion of mine ; last spring I took the notion to plant potatoes in my poultry
yard, a place I have to shut up my chickens during the summer, to prevent
their injuring the garden, corn, etc.; I feed them until they can no lono-er
do injury. I thought it was pity to leave the piece of ground useless. Mr.
M. finding that, as fast as the potatoes grew, the chickens bit off the tops ;
said it was not even worth while ploughing them, hut I thought otherwise
and hoed them ; they still grew, and Mr. M. ploughed them afterwards, not
for the potatoes, but because, being fond of eggs, he found the ground had
become too hard for the chickens to pick worms, etc. This fall he said
they were not worth digging ; but, as he got sick, and I had to do all, I
determined to try my potatoes, and, to my utter astonishment, every hill
contained from five to eight of the size I send ; and I would have sent you
more, but I think they will make the box weigh heavy more than they are
worth; a number more of quite large potatoes, none very small. The poultry
yard is on the front road, and many persons, passing as I was diggincr,
stopped and inquired what kind they were. The same kind, planted in very
rich and good ground, where Mr. M. expected a great crop, proved hardly
worth digging, so small and so few. Now, my dear Mary Ann, what do
you attribute this to ? I believe that the chickens keeping the tops eat
down, as it were, prevented the heat of the sun from burning them as it did
all the other crops ; the constant scratching, too, of the hens prevented the
bugs, etc., from injuring them. I shall certainly make the trial again, and
plant of the largest ; again having the idea the chickens would scratch,
we planted deep, and in the whole spot, off which we got about ten bushels
(it being a small place), we did not find one rotten one. Perhaps you will
laugh at me, and say they are not uncommonly large, but I cannot recollect
ever seeing such in Philadelphia. I wish I had thought of it in time, and
tried to get some sweet potatoes ; perhaps I might raise some there ; now it
would be too late ; they would freeze on the way. I think from Pittsburgh
I could get some in the spring in time ; I will try.

ROTATION OF FOREST TREES.

There are millions of acres of pine forests which present an even surface
for tillage, whose improvement for continued and profitable cultivation is a
matter of great moment. If their virgin soils do not exhibit an acid reaction,
they at least possess too little of alkaline ingredients for high agricultural
productiveness. We have been astonished at the benefits that accrued from
the application of marl and shell lime to these -virgin earths, in which there
was no lack of organic substances. Where the potash came from, that
existed in such large crops of wheat and corn, appeared a mystery. Lime

120 THE FLORIST AND

seemed to bring it out from its before insoluble silicates. Indeed, we can
account for the natural fertility in the southern peninsula of Maryland and
those districts of Virginia and G»eorgia where marl abounds, which we have
visited, in no other way. In an acre of wheat or corn there is five times
more potash than lime ; while the amount of soluble potash in natural pine-
bearing soils is exceedingly small. A pine tree when burnt yields but little
ashes, and they are not rich in potash. Pine leaves, however, yield pound
for pound, twelve times more ashes than pine wood ; and it is mainly the
annual fall of leaves on the surface of the ground, giving alkalies drawn
from the deep subsoil, as well as organized carbon, oxygen and hydrogen,
that enriches the land. By adding a little lime to this natural source of
fruitfulness, the owner of pine lands will greatly enhance their value. They
can be changed permanently from the production of coniferous plants to that
of cereals — a difference as wide as that from a loaf of bread made of pine
sawdust to one made of wheat flour.

The difference in a soil that will yield pine wood abundantly, but wheat
and maize very sparingly, is the pivot of plant rotation, to which the
reader's attention is particularly invited. The volatile alkali called
ammonia, which abounds in Peruvian Guano, works this change in piney
woods land for one or two crops, in a remarkable degree. Wood ashes also
produce signal effects on such soils, being far more lasting than guano.
Alkalies in some form appear to be necessary to change a pine-growing soil
into one adapted to the cheap and permanent production of oaks, hickory
and grain.

Numerous facts, similar in purport to those above stated, are well known
to every observing farmer ; but the reason suggested by Professor Johnston
and others, why pine trees succeed oak forests, and the latter, or beech, or
other hard deciduous trees succeed pines, do not appear to us entirely satis-
factory. On the rich lands of the Western States, and in Western New
York, where beech and maple, or oakbearing soils are left to grow up a
second time in forests, they do not, like the comparatively poor land of
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and
Georgia, produce a crop of old-field pines, but a second growth of the trees
of the primitive forest. Coniferous plants never supersede those of a higher
order and more complex development where the latter can flourish.

If pines di'ive out oaks and poplars, it is because the latter find an
uncongenial soil, made so not by nature, but by the labor of man. Nature
never rotates her vegetable productions from a higher to a lower order of
organism, if her developments are not molested. The deeply descending

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 121

tap-root of pine, its light wind-driven seed, and its abundant foliage, fit it,
in an eminent degree, to recuperate impoverished old fields, and prepare
the surface of the ground to bear a crop of oaks, or corn or cotton. The
growth of pines does not, however, necessarily induce the growth of oaks or
beeches ; for there is no reason to suppose that the pine forests of North
and South Carolina and Georgia have not flourished on the same surface for
twenty successive generations of trees. There is no evidence of a natural
system of a rotation of plants from, pine to oak, and oak to pine in Southern
cultivation. — L. in Am. Cotton Planter.

REMINISCENCE AND ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS.

February 22d, 1815, I was a student of medicine in the University of
Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. That day was celebrated by a parade of
large numbers of the "Washingtonian Societies, with their flags and para-
phranalia, together with a numerous body of military. The procession
marched down Market street to the music of " Washington's Grand March,"
amidst a most severe snow storm.

On the same occasion, a battalion of colored persons, in gray uniform,
also marched through the streets with a fine band of music and with banners
flying. They have been enlisted for service by the United States in the war
with Great Britian. They numbered some two or three hundred; were
well disciplined, and presented a martial appearance.

The river Delaware was frozen over so firmly that large supplies of wood
were furnished from New Jersey by means of sleds, running on the ice.
Anthracite coal was not then used. At the Navy Yard the then new frigate
Java, fitted for a cruise, lay, ice bound. McMahon was the principal Horti-
culturist in Philadelphia.

One half of that day I spent in attendance on the Clinique at the Penn-
sylvania Hospital, where Professors Physic and Dorsey were engaged in
extirpating a large tumor from the back of a colored woman, a sketch of
whom, with a description of the case may be found in Yolume 1st, (new
series), of the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, page 298.
Before commencing the operation, Professor Dorsey sketched the likeness
of the patient with so much precision, that her features are accurately repre-
sented in the engraving.

What wonderful changes have occurred during this forty years interval in
your city, our country and the world at large !

J. P. KiRTLAND.

122 THE FLOKIST AND

BROOKLYN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The following gentlemen were elected officers for this year :

President. — J. W. Degrauw.

Vice Presidents. — John Maxwell, Henry A. Kent, Stephen Knowlton,
Smith J. Eastman, John W. Towt.

Treasurer. — W. S. Dunham.

Corresponding Secretary. — Delos W. Beadle.

Recording Secretary. — Joseph Lees.

[Reported for the Philadelphia Florist.]

PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY EOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE.

This time-honored body, which during the past month entered upon its
seventy-fifth year, held its meeting for April, in the Masonic Hall, South
Third Street, on Wednesday morning last.

Mr. Landreth, President, in the Chair.

Messrs. G. Dougherty and E. K. Concklin, of the City, and Daniel H. Mul-
vany, of Norristown, Montgomery County, were elected resident members.

Three new propositions for membership Avere received.

A notification that the next Annual Exhibition of the Montgomery County
Agricultural Society would be held at Springtown, on the third and fourth
days of October next, was received from that Society.

Letters from the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture, and the
Michigan and the New York State Agricultural Societies, were read,
acknowledging the receipt of printed copies of this Society's Memoirs.

The report on the last Annual Exhibition of the Onondaga Agricultural
Society, N. Y., was received.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 123

A communication from J. S. Silver, Esq., in behalf of the Butchers and
Drovers' Association, urging the fitness of their grounds, in Twenty-fourth
Ward, for the purposes of the Exhibitions of this Society, was read, and
referred to the Executive Committee.

Mr. G. Blight, in behalf of the committee to examine the tract of land
above Germantown, proposed as a site for this Society's Exhibitions,
reported the terms on which the grounds could be used ; which report was
accepted, the committee discharged, and the subject referred to the Exe-
cutive Committee.

Mr. Landreth, of the committee to confer with the President of the New
Jersey Agricultural Society, on the subject of that Society's holding its
next Annual Exhibition in Philadelphia, presented the correspondence had
in relation thereto, and asked for an expression of opinion on the course
pursued by the committee.

H. Ingersoll, Esq., moved. That the action of the committee meets the
approval of the Society.

Which motion was carried.

Mr. Isaac W. Roberts, long an active member of the Society, resigned
his membership, and was immediately nominated as an honorary member by
Dr. Elwyn.

Nomination lies over, under the rules.

On motion of H. Ingersoll, Esq., That the President, Recording Secre-
tary and Treasurer be a committee to ascertain whether a suitable room
can be secured for the meetings of this Society, and to report at next
meeting.

Which was so ordered.

The Chair called attention to the subject of the Wheat Crop. Its con-
dition was a question of national, as well as local interest. There were
members present from widely different localities, and he would be pleased
to hear the results of their observations. In his own neighborhood, in Bucks
County, appearances were decidedly unfavorable.

Mr. Dennis Kelly reported the same of his section of Montgomery
County. The Wheat looked very poor.

Mr. S. C. Ford had recently returned from a trip beyond the Susque-
hanna, and in the Counties of Dauphin and Lancaster, through which he
passed, he had never at this season seen the prospects for Wheat so unpro-
mising. The grain generally appeared to have been winter-killed. Some
portions of well cultivated fields exhibited life, but the greater part seemed
efi'ectually killed, as if fire had passed over the ground.

124 THE FLORIST AND

Mr. S. C. Willitts had observed the Wheat in his neighborhood, the
northern part of Philadelphia County, to be killed at the top, but still
strong at the root. Fields which had been drilled appeared better than
those sown broadcast, and those drilled early looked the best.

S, G. Fisher, Esq., reported the appearance of the Wheat in that part of
Maryland in which his estate lay, to be very unfavorable. This he attri-
buted, in great part, to the severe drought, which lasted from June to
November, of last year, and the effects of which were still visible, as very
little rain had fallen this season, and the springs and streams were unusually
low. Wheat sown early was the least unpromising. Fields sown in the
latter part of October were almost entirely bare. The drill was generally
used in his vicinity.

Mr. Aaron Clement had recently visited Lancaster County. There, too,
the Wheat fields were bare. He ascribed this to the fact, that the drought
had caused late ploughing and sowing. It was no unusual thing to find the
fields witho\it signs of a crop, early in the season, and after a warm rain,
the ground covered with verdure.

Dr. Emerson acknowledged the advantage of early planting. In Kent
County, Delaware, where his farm was situated, the Wheat Crop generally
looked badly, but the importance of the drill was never more manifest ; all
the fields where it had been used bid fair to be many fold more productive.
In others, the soil appeared to have been blown away from the young roots.
A dry winter was not unfavorable to Wheat, as the absence of excess of
moisture prevented the efi"ects of thawings and freezings, by which the
young plants were thrown out.

Mr. Gustavus Engle stated that his eighty acres in Wheat, near Bustle-
ton, looked quite promising. He had plowed five inches deep, and sown
early. The field was upland. In Bucks County, where he had been
recently, well cultivated Wheat lands appeared well. Some, on which four
hundred pounds of Guano had been spread to the acre, he had never seen
surpassed, at this season of the year.

Mr. Clement contended, that however well farmed the land might be,
nothing could compensate for late sowing. Wheat sown early was always
better.

Dr. Emerson insisted that early plowing was more important than early
sowing. On his farm, a portion of a field had, from motives of convenience,
been ploAved two months earlier than the remainder ; the whole was dressed
with super-phosphate of lime, and drilled at the same time, yet the early
plowed portion now exhibited a perfect marl of vegetation, as if it alone had

HOETICULTURAL JOURNAL. 125

been manured, while the show on the other was comparatively indifferent.
The whole field had, up to the time of plowing, been subjected to the same
tillage. It had been in wheat last year, but the crop was so light that he
decided to manure anew and sow again. This was not the first instance
in which he had observed the difference in early and late plowng before
Wheat.

The Chair added his testimony in favor of early cultivation and sowing.

Dr. Elwyn regretted that we were so prone to censure nature for our
losses, when our own hands were at fault. He had recently returned from
his farm, in Chester County, and wherever he had observed good farming,
he had found the Wheat looking very well. The farmers in that county
cultivated thoroughly and manured freely.

Mr. A. S. Roberts had found the Wheat in Chester, Lancaster and
Dauphin looking fair. The drilled fields looked the best. In the western
country an unusual quantity of Wheat had been sown.

S. Gr. Fisher, Esq., proposed "the winter feeding of stock" for discussion
at next meeting.

Adjourned.

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The stated meeting of this Society was held on Tuesday evening March
20th, 1855, in Concert Hall.

Robert Cornelius, Vice President, in the chair.

The following premiums were awarded. By the Committee on Plants and
Flowers. Azalea, specimen plant, for the best, to Robert Buist. Azaleas,
six plants, for the best, to Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A. Fahnestock.
Collection of twelve plants, for the best, to Robert Buist ; for the second
best, to Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A. Fahnestock. Collection of
six plants, for the best, to John Pollock, gardener to James Dundas.
Specimen plant, for the best, to Robert Buist ; for the second best, to John
Pollock, gardener to James Dundas. Hew plants, shown for the first time,
three dollars, to R. Buist, for Siphocampylos, Azaleas, and particularly
Berberis trifoliata. Basket, for the best, to Mark Hill, gardener to M. W.
Baldwin ; for the second best, to Jerome Graeff, gardener to C. Cope.
Boquets, for the best pair, to J. J. Hubermehl, gardener to John Lambert ;

126 THE FLORIST AND

for the second best, to Jerome Graeff, gardener to C. Cope. Special premi-
ums, three dollars, to Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin, for a beauti-
ful Basket ; and two dollars for a very fine collection of Stocks ; one dollar
for a fine collection of Petunias, and one dollar for a Basket to J. J. Habu-
mehl, gardener to John Lambert. Particular attention was called to a
beautiful rustic vase of Hyacinths, shown by Peter Raabe, and a basso-
relievo Basket by Cornelius O'Brien, gardener to D. R. King.

By the Committee on Vegetables. Lettuce, for the best, to Mark Hill.
Display hy a private gardener, for the best, to Michael Doyle, gardener to
John Rice. And special premium of two dollars for fine Cucumbers, to
Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin.

The special Committee appointed to confer with Councils, on the subject
of providing for a Botanic garden in the laying the Lemon Hill grounds,
reported progress.

A communication from the Corresponding Secretary of the Cincinnati
Horticultural Society, desiring to have a copy of our transactions, was read ;
when, on motion ordered, that the Committee on Publication be requested
to ascertain the cost of collecting one hundred copies and report.

Thomas C. Percival was elected Corresponding Secretary of the Society,
to supply the vacancy by the resignation of Dr. Brinkle.

Members elected. — George Taylor and J. M. Houston.

Objects Exhibited.

Plants. — By Robert Buist. — New plants, Berberis trifoliata, Siphocampy-
los magnificus, Franciscea confertifiora, Fagelia bituminosa. Azalea Vesta
and A. Pride of Dorking ; Specimen plant, Cytisus pagram ; Specimen
Azalea, A. albomaculata ; Collection of twelve, Conoclinium ianthinum,
Corroea speciosa ventricosa, Mahernia odorata, Contradenia rosea, C. flori-
bunda, Polygala Dalmatiana, Boronia trifoliata, Epacris miniata. Azalea
triumphans, A. indica alba, and A. phoenica.

By Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A. Fahnestock. — Six Azaleas
proeclara, purpurea, Campbellii, coccinea, Copei and Henry Clay. Twelve
plants. Rhododendron sp, Acacia lunata, A. floribunda, Begonia manicata,
Franciscea confertifiora, Chorozema varium, C. sp, Azalea speciosissima,
Polygala oppositi-folia pinnatum, Eriostemon intermedium, and Kennedya
monopkylla.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 127

By John Pollock, gardener to James Dundas. — Specimen plants, Maher-
nia odorata, Bletia Tankervillise, Oncidium lanceanum, 0. amplicatum
major, 0. leuchochilum, Henfreya scandeus, and Conoclinum ianthinum.

By J. J, Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert. — A large collection of
stocks and another of Petunias in variety.

By Peter Raabe. — A rustic stand with a vase, containing beautiful
Hyacinths and Crocuses growing in moss.

Baskets and Bouquets, ^c. — By Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin.
Two handsome Baskets.

By Jerome GraeflF, gardener to Caleb Cope. — A Basket and a pair of
hand Bouquets.

By J. J. Habermehl, gardener to J. Lambert. — A Basket and a pair of
hand Bouquets.

By C. O'Brien, gardener to D. R. King. — A Basket.

Vegetables. — By M. Doyle, gardener to John Rice. — Cauliflowers, Lettuce
Cucumbers, Beans and Radishes.

By J. J. Habermehl, gardener to J. Lambert. — Cauliflowers and Lettuce.

By Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin. — Lettuce, Cucumbers and
Radishes.

By J. Ryan, gardener to J. Anspach. — Cucumbers.

By M. Woodburn, gardener to J. Swift. — Lettuce.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF MARYLAND.

At the stated meeting held 6fch inst., for the election of ofiicers, the
following gentlemen were duly elected for the ensuing year :

President. — Col. R. France.

Vice Presidents. — George Brown, William C. Wilson, Nicholas Poplein,
Edward Jenkins, A. C. Pracht, Hamilton Easter.

Treasurer. — Edward Kurtz.

Corresponding Secretary. — John Feast.

Recording Secretary. — Samuel Feast, Jr.

Secretary to Judges. — H. B. Jones.

Secretary for Exhibitions. — F. J. Fuss.

Committee of Arrangement. — Samuel Feast, Jr., James Pentland, John
Hilbert, James Somerville, Dr. K. Lusby, James Gallaway, John Feast.

The monthly exhibition for March, took place on the 20th, at the Mary-
land Institute, which was open to all visitors during the afternoon, and till
10 o'clock, P. M., and considering the weather, a fine display was made,

128 THE FLOEIST AND

and the numerous visitors seemed gratified to see the society in so flourish-
ing a condition. Among the exhibitors were George Myers, gardener to
Zebulon Waters, Esq., who had a seedling Camellia, Eliza Waters, pure
white, imbricated, equal to if not better than double white, also IT other
seedlings of various shades, and many imbricated varieties ; also a splendid
bloom of Persian Cyclamens, and Azalea Phoenlca. The premium for the
best seedling, was awarded to Eliza Waters. James Pentland had a fine
bloom of Camellias in pots, also Cinerarias, Roses, and a fine specimen of
Spiraea Reevesii in bloom.

Obadiah Kemp, six pots of tree violets. Mr. Edward Kurtz had a seed-
ling imbricated Camellia, very dark color.

Samuel Feast & Sons, a fine display of plants, as Camellias, Hyacinths,
Verbenas, Geraniums, Daisies, Cinerarias, Franciscea latifolia, a fine plant,
two Azaleas, Euphorbias, two seedling Camellias, fair Ellen, pure white, a
neat compact flower, and Triumph of Baltimore ; a Carnation-striped,
imbricated variety, a fine showy flower, and remarkable foliage.

John Feast, a specimen plant of Acacia, in bloom, Cypripediwn venus-
tum, Chorozema ilicifolia, Begonia albo-eoccinea and B. manicata, and
Camellia Mrs. Lurman, which still maintains its character. Also a fine
white variety, tinted with pink, named Annie Feast, uncommonly double,
and fine in petal.

One pyramid for the table, by George Myers, one hand bouquet, by S.
Feast & Sons.

Lettuce, six fine heads, and green mint, by Edward Whittemore & Brother.

Dr. K. Lushby had a fine display of vegetables for the season.

JOHN FEAST,

Cor. Secretary.

DENDROBIUM PIERARDI var LATIFOLIA

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 129

DENDROBIUM PIEKARDI, roxb. var. LATIFOLIUM.

Orchidece § Malaxece-JDendrohics. — Gynandria-Monandria.

Charact. Gener. — Perigonii membranacei, foliola exteriora erecta v.
patentia, lateralia majora, obliqua, cum pede columnae connata; interiora
conformia, exteriore postico majora v. minora. Lahellum cum pede colum-
nae articulatum aut connatum, sessile, indivisum vel trilobum, saepius
appendiculatum. Columna semiteres, basi longe producta. Anther a bilo-
cularis. Pollinia 4, per paria collateralia.

Herhae indicae, epipJiytae, eaulescentes, v. rhizomate repente pseudobid-
bifero; foliis planis saepius venosis, jiorihus soUtariis, fasciculatis v.
racemosis, majusculis, speciosis.

Charact. Specif. — " D. {Eudendrohium § transparentid) caulibus pendu-
lis, labello spathulato ungue involute." Lindl.

Dendrohium Pierardi, Roxb. Mss. — Carey Hort Bengb. — Lodd. Bot. Cab
t. 750.— LiNDL. in Bot. Reg. t. 2584.

Var. latifolium, Hort. — Caulibus robustioribus, foliis latioribus (flores
ex icone nobis tantum noti.)

Our figure represents a new variety of one of tbe earliest introduced
species of Dendrohium^ but one always considered among tbe most beautiful
on account of the delicacy of tbe texture and color of its flowers. The type
of this variety has existed in some of the rare collections in England, since
1815, a time when the cultivation of epiphytes had scarcely commenced in
Europe. It was first figured in the Botanical Cabinet, and later (evidently
in an imperfect manner) in the- Botanical Register. The species inhabits
the district of Chittagony, and many other points of the Delta of the
Ganges, from whence Mr. Pierard first introduced it into the botanic garden
at Calcutta. It belongs to that group of the section Eudendrohium, which
Dr. Lindley calls transparentia, in allusion to the partial transparence of
the flowers. The only fault which can be found with these graceful plants
is, that they generally flower upon stalks entirely deprived of leaves ; for
although the above-cited figures of Dendrohium Pierardi, represent flowers
and leaves at the same time on one stalk ; we can easily see that the artist,
more accommodating than nature, has been the author of this forced arrange-
ment. As with all allied species, the flowers come in pairs in the axils of
the fallen leaves. They are of a delicate rose, tinted with flesh-color, with
a lip, clear yellow in the enlarged part, lightly washed with violet in the
ground, and striped with carmine on the edge.

The form here represented, is what is called in gardens, D. Pierardi
9

130 THE FLORIST AXD

latifolium. It is distinguished from its type by a more vigorous vegetation,
stalks longer and thicker in proportion, as well as by larger leaves. We
only know the flowers by a drawing made from nature in Mr. Van Houtte's
house last spring. J. E. P.

THE SPIRAEA.

There are few families of plants that have such an interesting show of
representatives as this ; and of all things wanting to give fine efiect to our
plantations and grounds, ornamental shrubs, — amongst which Spiraeas are
conspicuous, — are the most needed.

They are of the easiest possible culture, and will readily adapt themselves
to every vari^ed kind of soil. They thrive well when exposed to the full
sun, or do equally well in the shade of trees. They will even grow and
flower tolerably in a dry situation, though they are always most happy in
the enjoyment of a little moisture. Some kind or another are in bloom the
whole season ; commencing in April or early in May, with 8. jprunifolia
pleno, and ending in October with S. salicifolia.

Many of them may be had tolerably cheap from nurserymen, when taken
in quantity, and cheaper still, if those who love them would create a little
more demand for them. Nothing but a limited demand keeps up high
prices in nursery stocks, — the very reverse of the case as regards agricultu-
ral products, and many other marketable commodities, which must be sold
when offered, — no matter at what price.

There are many scores of handsome kinds, of which over two dozen may
occasionally be met with in our nurseries. The following list I believe, may
be readily procured — it is made up from Watson's Catalogue :

Spiraea tomentosa.

Spiraea grandiflora.

)runifolia pleno,
liconderti.

arifolia,
linensis,

obovata,

laevigata,

adiantoides,

japonica,
argentea,
ulmifolia,

opulifolia,
sorbifoUa,
thalictroides,

salicicifolia,
Lindleyana,
amoena.

^ «

Reevesii,

callosa,

rotundifolia,

Douglasii,

chamsedrifolia,

speciosa.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 131

All of which are true species if correctly supplied, and, in the stereotyped
phrase of fioricultural works, "worthy of a place in every collection."

Thomas Meehan.

CYPRIPEDIUM VENUSTUM AND INSIGNE AS GREEN-
HOUSE PLANTS.

It may not be generally known, that these two Ladies' Slippers can be
finely and successfully grown in a common greenhouse. We recently saw
a very fine example of insigne, with over twenty flowers expanded or in bud,
and of the most faultless shape and growth. A fine grown plant of venus-
tum is also recorded to have been exhibited at the meeting of the London Hort.
Society, Nov. 17th, 1854, one yard in diameter, with thirty-eight flowers of the
largest size, both of which are instances of what may be done in the
way of getting them up to the significant standard of specimen plants. Tli,.
fact of their being adapted for greenhouse culture is a feature of con-
siderable importance, as there are but few of the exotic orchideae that will
do this, and owing to the singularity in the construction and great beauty
of many of the flowers of this large natural family, every lover of plants
must feel the importance of having a representation of it, if he has only a
greenhouse. The two under notice are natives of Nepaul, a country ^ying
amidst the Himalaya mountains, portions of which are said to be 20,000 feet
above the level of the sea.

The whole genus belongs more to the temperate than the torrid zone,
these two being nearly, if not quite, the only natives of the tropics, and
even these being at so high an altitude, they are thus likely to experience a
low temperature at times corresponding in some measure to our greenhouses
during winter. They will flower in the fall and early winter, if kept in the
stove, but not till February in the greenhouse, but the flowers are much
more numerous in the latter, and will last at least three months. They are
called Ladies' Slippers, from the lip of the corolla being formed in the shape
of a miniature shoe. The foliage of venustum is prettily marked, there-
fore always beautiful, even when out of flower, and we most certainly advise
every one who has a greenhouse, to procure these two plants if they are
not already in their collection.

132 THE FLORIST AND

PROPAGATION

Is effected by slipping off a slioot or dividing the plant, wlien it may be
done so as to secure roots attached, when but little difficulty will be expe-
rienced, in getting them into active growth.

If there are no roots, insert them in sand under a bell glass, in the stove.
The best time for taking off the shoots or dividing the old plant, is, if grown
in the stove, in March, in the greenhouse as soon as they are gone out of
flower. When rooted pot off into three-inch pots, keeping the crown of the
plants well up in the pot. As it is always desirable to secure a good flower-
ing plant in as short a space of time as possible, compatible with the health
of the plants, they may, with advantage, be kept in a close moist pit the
first summer, and in the hothouse the first winter. While the plants keep
growing, they should be encouraged by occasional shifts into larger pots,
but once a good sized plant is formed, a shift once a year in May will be
enough, with an occasional stirring of the top soil, and a little fresh added
at the same time. The soil should be a sandy loam, as turfy as possible,
pulled (not rubbed) to pieces, one-half; one-fourth silver sand, the remain-
der small pieces of charcoal and crocks, which will help to keep the whole
open and porous ; if the loam is at all stiff, a little sandy peat should be
added.

The pots should also be well and securely drained, with a little spagnum
or other similar substance, placed over the crocks to keep the soil from
amongst the drainage. In potting plants of this character, we find if a
few pieces of charcoal, small stones, &c., are placed on the top of the soil,
the roots, which are large and fleshy, are very fond of appearing on the
surface and ramifying amongst the stones. We presume, from the fact that
it tends to encourage a dampness, of which the roots seem particularly fond
while growing. Tilgate,

' , 1%

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 133

ON SUPPLYING HOTHOUSES WITH BOTTOM HEAT AND

MOISTURE.

Editor of the Florist.

Every good gardener must know the value of bottom heat, and a means
of supplying the atmosphere of his hothouse with moisture during the winter
months in this climate, where the difference of temperature of the open air
and his stove is such as the past winter has afforded a very striking example,
is of paramount importance. Yet, how seldom are they employed : where
flues are used as a means of heating, this cannot be done or at least s6
readily, but with hot water, the reverse takes place, with a very simple con-
trivance, both may be obtained at the same time. The following is the man-
ner it has been employed here with perfect results, and although the house
is a very lofty one for a stove, all above ground, and no means of using
shutters except to the' front sash, the plants have retained a color of foliage,
we are quite sure they would not, had it not been applied. A pit of
four-inch brick work is built in the part of the house usually occupied
by the back stage, two and a half feet high, having cross ties of wood built
in at half its height to receive thick planking. Under this is a wooden
tank with a division in its centre, and open at the end farthest from the
boiler ; an inch lead pipe is carried from one side of this to the top of the
boiler as supply, another from the other side to the bottom of the boiler as
return pipe. The tank is partially covered with slate, a few openings being
left for the vapor to pass out. The space above the planks is filled to the
top with tan, in which the plants can be plunged, or stood on the top as the
case may require. A few openings are left to the chamber below through
the tan so that the moisture can pass freely out. Similar openings are also
left in the bottom of the chamber, to cause the necessary current to carry
out the liberated vapor. A very important feature in this arrangement is,
that it is self-acting, that is, so far as moisture is concerned. The warmer
the temperature out of doors, the less artificial heat is required in the house,
and consequently less demand for moisture, and the amount of water evapo-
rated is of course, in a ratio with its heat. Thus on one occasion, when the
thermometer out of doors, registered 18 degrees below zero, the water was
nearly on the boiling point, and the evaporation nearly steam ; but with such
a drying heat as was then in force, (there being a flue as well as hot water),
experience told me the atmosphere, or rather the plants needed all the mois-
ture they could get, to prevent the supply coming from them, instead of
their receivijig the benefits from it. Where obtainable, we prefer the tank

134 THE FLORIST AND

of iron, being more durable, and giving off its heat more freely, but where
that cannot be used, wood is a very good substitute.

Edgar Sanders,
Gardener to Jno. J. Rathbone, Albany/, JV. Y.

NYMPH^A GIGANTEA.

The Grardener s Ghronicle has the following :

In the year 1852, the following statement appeared in the " Botanical
Magazine :" —

"During the early part of the present year, seeds of an Australian
Nymphseaceous plant were in the hands of several cultivators in this country,
as a new Victoria, Victoria Fitzroyana, with flowers of a 'purplish blue:'
from what source obtained I have not been able to ascertain. Those which
were obligingly presented to us by Mr. Carter and Mr. Stokes under that
name were, we think, not the seeds of a Victoria, but of a Nymphsea; and
were so crushed in a letter, and sent dry, that we have no hope of their
germinating. Now, it does happen that we received during the past year
specimens of a magnificent new Nymphsea, from our friend Mr. Bidwill,
gathered in the Wide-Bay district, Notheastern Australia, some of whose
flowers certainly vie with the ordinary ones of Victoria regia, being a foot
in diameter, and if not of a purplish blue color, yet blue — the blue as it
would appear, of the well-known Nymphcea ccBrulea. We are much dis-
posed to think that this is the plant producing the seeds in question, and
that the plant having been known to other colonists in Australia, the seeds
have been by them sent to their friends in this country, under the name of
Victoria Fitzroyana. Mr. Bidwill is too good a botanist to have done so.
Be that as it may, we deem it a matter of duty now to lay a figure and
description of our magnificent plant before the public, and even a colored
figure ; for so beautiful are the specimens dried by our valued friend and
correspondent, that we think we cannot err much on that point. And sure
we are that, even should all the seeds above alluded to fail to germinate, or
prove to be those of another plant, our Nymphsea gigantea will, ere long,
find its way into our tropical tanks, and adorn them with a Water Lily,
little inferior to the Royal Victoria in the size or beauty of its flowers, and
with leaves equally remarkable in size, for a true Nymphsea, being 18 inches
to 2 feet across. A tuber which we have lately received from Mr. Bidwill
for cultivsption, but unfortunately dry and dead, is about the size of an ordi-

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 135

nary Apricot, and nearly as globose, having numerous depressions or eyes,
like the 'eyes' of the Potato, -with a scale at each depression."

As Sir William Hooker foresaw, this Australian Nymph has found her
way to Europe, and now exists in a living state in several continental collec-
tions. It has even flowered and seeded with Mr. Van Houtte, of Ghent, with
whom it produced delicate blue blossoms nearly eight inches across. It
appears, however, that there is some difficulty in managing the plant, for
tubers sent to Mr. Edward Otto, of Hamburgh, and others, obstinately re-
fused to move, or only produced a few scale-like leaves which soon died off
again, and would not root at all. Upon this subject Mr. Ortgies, the skillful
plant manager in Mr. Van Houtte's nursery, has remarked to the following
effect [Rev. Sort., 1855, p. 92) : — " I have had similar complaints before,
and I have myself met with the same difficulty ; and although the intracta-
ble lady is now in full flower and has continually five or six flowers open at
a time, I am far from being satisfied with the result ; the plant is in fact a
puzzle. However, don't fancy your tubers lost ; I have had them for twelve
months with little undeveloped leaves, and nevertheless they have ultimately
started. Once set a-growing they push with surprising rapidity. I am of
opinion that the plant requires to be very deep in the water, and that we
have been all wrong in putting the tubers near the surface ; and for the
following reason. Last spring all the tubers, after having been kept dry
during winter, were replanted and placed in shallow water. A few days
after they began to move ; but the young leaves made no progress, and
never reached the surface. It was, therefore, obvious that no roots could
be formed ; for in this, as in Nymphseas, the roots appear after, not before the
leaves. One day I found that some little leaves had reached the surface of
the water, and upon inquiring into the cause, I found that a pot had been
upset and had tumbled to the bottom of the tank, which was two feet deep.
As soon as the tuber was thus carried beyond the action of light, its leaves
began to lengthen and spread over the water ; larger leaves soon succeeded,
and in a short time the plant was in fall growth. Acting upon this hint, I
placed the tubers two feet deep in water, and now they grow vigorously."

Mr. Ortgies deserves honorable mention for this very useful discovery ;
of which growers will know how to profit in other cases, besides that of
the Great Blue Australiaist Water Nymph.

136

THE FLORIST AND

ESSAY ON THE CULTURE OF THE NELUMBIUM.

Every one knows tlie beautiful flowers of Nymphcea alba and Nwpliar
luteum, indigenous plants growing spontaneously in all the lakes, ponds and
marshes of the west of France, which they ornament during all the warm
season with their beautiful foliage and flowers. But although very remark-
ble, what are they, compared with the numerous varieties of Nelumhium of
New Holland, China, the Caspian Sea, of India and of North America ?
Although figured and described by travelers and by ancient and modern
botanists, the cultivation of Nelumhiuras, so worthy of the care of ama-
teurs, has not passed the threshold of the aquaria of Belgium, England and
. the other large botanic gardens of Europe ; the attempts at open air culture
has completely failed; having undergone myself hard experience during
more than ten years. Nevertheless, by dint of care, perseverance,, patience,
of new attempts without cessation, my efforts have been successful beyond
expectation ; I have come to consider the genus Nelumbiwn, as hardy and as
easily cultivated in the open air as our most common aquatic plants. My
collection of this kind is, I believe, at this time without a rival, and for
many years, it has been in the finest state of vegetation, notwithstanding
the pernicious atmospheric influences which we have experienced for some
time ; enormous leaves like shields elevate themselves majestically above
the water^ flower-buds show themselves on all sides; while I am writing
this, a seed of the variety Novae HoUandiae, shows for the first time its

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 137

flowers borne on a strong foot-stalk, elevating itself eighteen inches above the
water ; these flowers, three times the size of those of Magnolia grandiflora,
have almost their form ; they have eighteen imbricated petals, of a brilliant
rose, lined with a bright red from the middle to the circumference ; I doubt if
the celebrated flowers of the Victoria regia excel those of this new acqui-
sition, which presents besides, as well as its congeners, the inappreciable
advantage, of being cultivated by the humblest amateur, almost without
care and with the greatest ease, according to the difl"erent processes which
I shall show.

They may be cultivated in tubs, pots or boxes. The amateur who has
neither basin nor vivarium, nor any piece of water, has no reason, on that
account to fear ineflectual attempts ; he can undertake it with every assur-
ance of desirable success. Large pots carefully stopped at the opening,
boxes lined with zinc, tubs either large or small, barrels or oil-casks,
cut in half and bound with iron for greater strength, are very suitable and
serve perfectly for their cultivation ; these last indeed, should be preferred
as well on account of their durability as their moderate price.

The best situatioi^ is an exposure to the south, next to that, an eastern
one ; the next best, towards the west ; a northern exposure is too cold for
Nelumbiums, a large number of other aquatic plants can nevertheless
accommodate themselves to it.

The place, then, most exposed to the sun should be preferred. The
vases should be buried as deep as to within four or five inches of the edge ;
put into each of them ten or twelve inches of turfy peat, if it can be pro-
cured. The mud drawn from ditches or streams, mixed with an equal portion
of grape-mash or leaf-mould would be excellent; I employ in preference,
the following compost :

One Third clayey marl burnt ;

One Third Grape pomace ;

One Third Leaf soil ;
all well mixed. The burnt earth is very fertile and drives away or destroys
insects, snails, &c. All these difi"erent composts ought to be passed through
a hurdle or a sieve, to extract carefully from it the roots of parasitic plants
such as dog's tooth, Potentilla &c. For mud, take out carefully the roots
and stalks of Potamogeton, chara, water arrows, typha palustris and other
aquatic j^lants, the least fragment of which left by mistake, will soon take
a prodigious development.

The earth being placed and leveled, arrange on it with little wooden
hooks, the rhizomas of the Nelumbium, which then cover with two inches of

138 THE FLORIST AND

river sand, which I find the best ; the sand from streams or mines, whether
calcareous or ferruginous, or even the sand from fields. The planting being
done, fill the tubs with water by means of a watering pot, with a very fine rose,
until it runs over. This operation, which is always to be regulated by the state
of the atmosphere, and the evaporation which can take place, has for object?
the prevention of the corruption of the water, to keep it clear and limpid,
a condition essential to the health and vigor of the plant. These waterings
should take place every three or four days during the spring and autumn,
and much oftener during the very hot Aveather, always for the purpose of
preventing putrefaction. If, in spite of all these cares the water becomes
foetid and of a rusty color, one or two handsful of marsh lentils, [lenticula
palustris,) thrown into each tub, and multiplying these with remarkable
rapidity, will restore the water in a few days, to its ordinary clearness ;
pools and streams of the largest size may be made healthy without trouble,
by this simple and easily accomplished process.

Vegetation, is more ready in tubs and boxes than in streams and basins,
because that the mass of water being less, warms more readily under the
same temperature. Flowering does not take place until the second year of
planting ; whoever will cover his tubs with glazed sashes until the fifteenth
of May, will obtain an earlier flowering, which will last until frost. I have
not yet employed this process, which seems however to be advantageous.
When the frosts become more severe, so as to form ice the thickness of a
dollar, cover them with a bed of leaves, of moss or straw, which must be
fixed with some fagots for greater strength. If the frost become very in-
tense, these coverings should be increased according to need to be taken
off in February and March when the weather is milder. Take away then
all the rubbish, and add two inches of new earth and renew the treatment
recommended above.

Water which has been exposed to the sun, and which has run over the
ground, is generally preferred for watering all vegetables ; on the contrary,
aquatic plants generally prefer spring water, subterranean, or even well
water ; river water or that from running streams is excellent ; that of ponds,
where the Lenticula palustris grows is good, but in either case to use foetid
or corrupt water will be to experience serious inconveniences.

I have dwelt a long time on the cultivation in tubs, for the purpose of
making it agreeable to the inhabitants of towns, and to the amateur, who
has at his disposition only a small space of ground, burned by the sun in
summer, and unfit for any other culture. I will now occupy myself with
the cultivation in streams, basins, ditches, lakes, etc.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL, 139

There are few properties of any extent where there are not a basin, a
pond, or some stream, or even a ditch fed by the water of a well, or, better
still, by rain water ; for at present it is very easy, and not expensive, to
conduct water to any distance by means of drain-tiles.

As I have said, when speaking of cultivation in tubs, the piece of water
destined for these interesting plants should be shaded as little as possible,
so that the sun's rays can penetrate there without any obstacle ; two or
three feet of water are suflScient ; but a larger quantity will not hinder
planting. Having chosen the locality, occupy yourself in extirpating the
noxious weeds and aquatic plants which are found there ; if the mud is ten
or twelve inches thick, it will suffice to level it, and to plant afterwards the
roots or rhizomas, pinning them down, and covering them with two or three
inches of sand. If the plants taken out were not vigorous, it will be a
certain proof that the mud was of bad quality, and it will be necessary to
introduce some of the compost intended for the tubs, and to which, to make
it more efficacious, some pigeon's dung or guano should be added.

These kinds of plantations may be made from the first days of May to
the end of August ; before and after this time, the chances of success are
uncertain, even under glass.

If the stream or ditch has been newly dug, it will be necessary, as with
tubs, to deposit in them ten or twelve inches of earth prepared according to
the manner indicated above, to level it, to plant it, and to proceed imme-
diately to fill it ; it will also be necessary to remove the bad weeds which
will not fail to multiply there, and, by means of ditches or surrounding
trenches, intercept or turn off the rain water, which, in a little time, would
overrun the stream, and which, besides, having circulated over the soil,
would contain salts or earths hurtful to the NelumMum.

A ditch two feet across, as well as a lake or pond of great extent, can be
used for the cultivation of these magnificent plants. The varieties pehi-
nense, Novce Hollandice, asperifolium, are the hardiest and the most
remarkable ; the luteum, speciosum, and the caspicum are less vigorous,
although supporting our winters. Fifteen basins or streams in my establish-
ment are especially devoted to this kind of cultivation. The means which
I employ to keep out the cold are, as above stated, of the greatest simplicity.
When the cold becomes too severe, I stretch over the ice a bed of leaves ;
and when the thaw comes, these leaves, absorbed little by little, descend to
the bottom, decompose there, and become an excellent earth.

P. TouRRES, Nurseryman.

In Flore des Serres.

140 THE FLOEIST AND

WHAT GARDENERS MAY DO FOR THEIR JOURNEYMEN.

Assuming tliat the gardeners who read these pages are sincerely anxious
to promote the happiness and welfare of those under their control, I pro-
pose to venture a few remarks upon the means by which they may most
effectually do so. The influence which the head gardener of a large estab-
lishment must have on the comfort, and I may add on everything that affects
those in his employ, can hardly be overstated, and will fully justify the tone
of earnestness which may be adopted in speaking of the subject. To him
they have committed their professional education, and it must very much
depend on him whether they make respectable progress or turn out a set of
mere dolts and pretenders. Whether he receives a premium from the young
men under him or not, he should feel himself bound to do all in his power
for their advancement. Every journeyman gardener, following the business
with a view to improvement, is virtually an apprentice ; he accepts wages
far below what his position and educational acquirements legitimately enti-
tle him to expect, in the hope of ultimately rising to the post of master
himself, as the reward of his diligence. For this reason his master is fairly
expected to give him every reasonable facility for acquiring the knowledge
without which his hopes must be disappointed.

This will not be done unless it be made part of a settled plan of proce-
dure. Knowing that a man can never thoroughly enter into every branch
of his profession unless actually engaged in every branch, he should lay it
down as a maxim, never to be lost sight of, that every man in his employ
should have an opportunity of assisting in all the different departments of
the garden. Perhaps it cannot be safely determined that every fresh hand
shall begin in the kitchen garden, proceed next to the framing ground, after
that to the forcing houses, and so on. It may, in some cases, be desirable
to follow a different order, but the point insisted on is, that each man should
have a turn in each department ; we should not then have so many gar-
deners whose skill in their profession, though undoubted, is entirely limited
to one or two branches ; they can grow Pine-apples well, but they are quite
at sea in making an Asparagus bed ; they are regular adepts in the man-
agement of Cape Heaths, but almost as unacquainted with Cape Broccoli as
the natives of the Cape themselves : and all because during the time they
worked as journeymen they were found to be so handy about one particular
kind of work that they could not be spared for anything else. Now, if the
master would make it a settled rule that no one should be kept to one kind

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 141

of work at all times, however great the inconvenience to himself, such evils
as this would not occur.

But, however extensive and well-conducted any single garden may be, it
is quite necessary, if men expect to keep up with the times, that they should
see other places besides that at which they work. A man who has his eyes
open can never go to a fresh place without seeing some new thing. And it
is the aggregation of new ideas picked up here and there, on this side and
on that, which constitutes progress. A master gardener, therefore, who is
solicitous for the improvement of his young men will allow them time, occa-
sionally, to visit the gardens and nurseries within their reach, without de-
ducting from their wages. It may be said, this is a regular thing. It
ought to be ; but some of us know very well it is far from it. Such a state
of things is wrong, and as surely inimical to the interests of the master as
those of the man. Of course if any disposition is shown to abuse the privi-
lege, it must be suspended ; but very few are the cases in which this is
likely to occur.

Another point which claims the attention of the gardener who is really
concerned for the improvement of his young men, is the direction of their
studies. Although gardening is not to be learnt from books, and most assu-
redly never has been so learned, it cannot be learned without them ; at least
in the present day. But young students are often exceedingly mistaken in
their purchases of books. I have seen young gardeners spend perhaps a
week's earnings in procuring a book which, when obtained, was not worth
reading. Yet, when possessed, it will be read, and thus there is a waste of
time as well as money. If, however, before purchasing or reading a new
book, the young man could consult his master — we say could, for, in most
cases, if he could he would — this double waste might be prevented. There
is no way in which greater assistance can be rendered to young men in a
garden than by supplying them with suitable books. Works of a thoroughly
scientific character are necessarily expensive, and the journeyman gardener's
wages are not such as to admit of his buying them. Hence the great de-
sirableness of forming a garden library. The late Mr. Loudon was so im-
pressed with the importance of such an institution, that he at one time
offered to present books, to a considerable amount, to those establishments
that would exert themselves to form and sustain one. A library of this
description would consist, of course, of books of reference on botanical and
horticultural subjects ; the extent proportioned to the means at command —
the most indispensable works being procured first. A most important fea-
ture would be the periodicals treating of botany and horticulture, which

142 THE FLORIST AND

ought, by some means or other, to be brought within the reach of every
young gardener. There would be no necessity for limiting the books to
those immediately connected with gardening, except that necessity should
arise from limited finances. On the contrary, if good works on general
subjects could be introduced, all the better; for, in many rural districts it
is even yet by no means easy to get at them. It may be said, this is a little
like reckoning without our host — where is the money to come from ? Partly
from subscriptions among the men themselves, and, I think we may safely
say, in nine cases out of ten, partly from the kindness of the owner of the
estate. If the gardener would take the trouble fairly to represent the
matter, I have the fullest confidence that there are very few gentlemen who
would not be glad of the opportunity to give their countenance and aid.

There is one point on which I hope a concluding remark may be forgiven.
If a gardener would really act the part of a friend to his journeymen, he
must make it, a study to be at all times communicative. Strictness is neces-
sary, but it need not merge into stiffness or reserve. Such a deportment
will never lower a man in the view of his inferiors, but must infallibly
enhance their attachment and respect.

F. H. JOYNES,

in London Florist.

ON THE TRUE NAME OF VICTORIA AMAZONICA (Pceppig).

This plant was first described and named, scientifically, by Prof. Poeppig,
in Froriep's Notizen, vol. 35, p. 9, a volume of which I am unable to give
the date, but it is cited by Poeppig himself in his Journey*, vol. 2, p. 432,
published at Leipzig in 1835. The name there given to it is Euryale

AMAZONICA.

In the Report of the Seventh Meeting of the British Association (Septem-
ber, 1837), London, 1838, the following passage occurs : " Mr. J. E. Gray
exhibited the drawing of Victoria Megina, Schomb., sent by Mr. Robert
Schomburgk, from Demerara, to the Botanical Society of London, and read
his account of the discovery and the description of this interesting plant."

*Eeise in Chile, Peru, und auf dem Amazonenstrome, "wahrend der Jahre, 1827—1832, von
Eduard Poeppig, Leipzig, 1835.

HOETICULTURAL JOURNAL. 143

" The same plant was also noticed in a communication by Dr. Lindley."
Some one furnished Schomburgk's account and plate to the Magazine of
Zoology and Botany, as an extract of a letter from Dr. Schomburgh (so the
name is given) to the Botanical Society of London, 17th October, 1837. It
appears in the 11th number, perhaps published in November, 1837, but the
volume bears the date 1838. No indication of the period of publication of
the numbers of this volume is given, a neglect which cannot be satisfactorily
accounted for. This article is entitled "YII. Dr, Robert H. Schomburgh'' s
description of Victoria Regina, Gray." The accompanying plate 12 is
lettered "Victoria Regalis, Schomburgh."

In the extract given, Schomburgk gives no name whatever, so that if
V. Regalis is due to him, or V. Regina to Mr. Gray, I am unable to give
the citations with the limited bibliographical materials at my command. It
is to be regretted that authority, volume, page, and date, should not have
been given in Mr. J. Fiske Allen's beautiful work.

The proper designation, therefore, of this fine plant is Victoria Amazonica
(Poeppig).

Steudel, in his Nomenclator Botanicus, 1840, gives Victoria to Schom-
burgk, and also regalis ; but the plant is left with Posppig's name, Euryale
amazonica ; and Endlicher (Genera Plantarum) credits Lindley, " Monograph,
London, 1837, c. icon. fol. max. Bot. Reg. 1838, App. 13," works to which
I have not access. To the last author is probably due the third British
name, Victoria regia, and, what is of much more importance, the determi-
nation of its generic characters. But in justice to Poeppig, none of these
three specific names can stand. The name of amazonica is, by its classical
associations, and the locality it reveals, singularly appropriate. Victoria,
as the name of a Roman goddess, has been chosen with equal felicity,
unless, indeed, it be rendered ridiculous by association with a name more
illustrious in peace than in war.

S. S. HALDEMAN.
Delaware College, May 12, 1854.

144 THE FLORIST AND

NEW PLANTS OF 1854.

The new plants of the year just past have been numerous, and include
several of importance in an ornamental point of view, though they are on
the whole, perhaps, less striking than the introductions of former years. As
of yore, the Messrs. Veitch have taken the lead in the work of introduction ;
but the lovers of gardens and of floral novelties have also to acknowledge
the instrumentality in this matter of various other cultivators, among whom
Messrs. Standish and Noble, Low, Henderson, Osborn, Rollisson, and Back-
house, and the botanical establishments of Kew and Glasnevin, may be
specially noted.

Of hardy plants, the scarlet and yellow flowered Holly-like Desfontainea
spinosa is probably the most interesting ; and this, together with two bril-
liant blue-flowered Ceanoths — C. Lobbi and C. floribundus — will be very
valuable additions to select flowering shrubs ; the latter are probably better
adapted for walls than for open borders. Torreya Myristice, the Californian
Nutmeg, is also a striking and valuable plant, having very much the aspect
of Cephalotaxus Fortuni, and probably hardy. Other interesting Conifers
brouo-ht into notice are the free-growing Thuja gigantea, a very promising
evergreen ; and Abies Kssmpferi, a deciduous tree, like the Larch. Thuiop-
sis dolabrata and borealis, and Pinus Royleana, Jeff"reyana, and Parryana,
of which less seems known, are also additions to this class. Among hardy
perrenials, the most remarkable, of which we have any knowledge, is the
blue Gentiana Fortuni, from Northern China, a real gem of its class. Prim-
ula mollis, a gay, rosy-flowered plant, is probably better adapted for frame
culture than for the open borders, though no doubt hardy in sheltered situa-
tions.

As hardy or half-hardy annnals we have added Whitlavia grandifiora, a
Sne, blue-flowered plant, with the habit of Eutoca ; a dwarf, small-flowered
Eschscholtzia, called tenuifolia ; a deep orange variety of the beautiful
Leptosiphon luteus, or, as it is sometimes called, Gilia lutea ; and last,
though not least, the brilliant crimson annual Flax, Linum grandiflorum, of
which a spurious red kind is in cultivation, and which is also impersonated
in some collections by a large variety of the common blue Flax. The gen-
uine kind is a very brilliant plant, and should be sought for, if not already
obtained. Another promising annual of the half-hardy class, or probably
best suited for greenhouse pot culture, is the Acrolinium roseum, an exceed-
ingly gay, pink-flowered " Everlastng," introduced from Swan River.

Of half-hardy perennials the most prominent which has appeared is Lysi-

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 145

macliia Leschenaulti, a densely-branched prostrate plant with heads of rosy
flowers, which will probably be found useful for flower-beds and borders
during summer.

Greenhouse shrubs have been more numerous. Acacia Drummondi and
Boronia Drummondi are among the best of their respective families • the
former has flowers of the usual color — yellow — in oblong heads, and the
latter has gay pink blossoms. Oxylobium Osborni has profuse bright orange
Papilionaceous flowers, and, as well as the preceding, is remarkably orna-
mental. Pittosporum flavum is a bold, strong plant, of a difierent character,
but worth growing where there is space for it ; it has broad Laurel-like
leaves, and heads of large yellow flowers.

In the Continental botanic gardens has been raised an exceedingly orna-
mental Oestrum, called Regeli, which, it appears, rivals the now well-known
C. aurantiacum, and requires similar management. Salvia porphyracantha
is a new and brilliant scarlet-flowered species which has originated in the
French gardens ; and from the same source, it may be mentioned, has been
re-introduced, under the name of Echites Pellieri, the old and rare Echites
suberecta, now called Neriandra suberecta. A fine greenhouse evergreen
perennial, with the habit of Olivia, has been added, or at least bloomed
for the first time, during the past year ; it is called Imantophyllum minia-
tum, and bears an umbel of very showy vermillion-colored flowers. Another
curious and really showy greenhouse perennial, from the Southern United
States, is the Sabbatia stellaris, whose flowers are deep rose, with a yellow-
ish-green, star-shaped eye.

Belonging probably to the cool greenhouse, rather than to the hardy class,
are several species of Rhododendron, which have been introduced from the
mountains of Bootan. As none of them have as yet, we believe, flowered
in this country, little more can be reported of them than that they comprise
novelty and distinctness in their foliage, and in some instances the flowers
are stated to be very showy ; one of them, R. Nuttalli, having, it is said,
the largest blossoms of any known species of the genus, atd these are said
to be white, with a tint of yellow and rose, and to be delightfully fragrant.
It is probably in the way of R. Dalhousice.

Among the novel stove plants occurs, probably, the most decidedly popular
of the plants of the year, a beautiful variegated-leaved, dwarf-branching,
sub-shrubby perennial, called Sonerila Margaritacea. Its foliage, which
looks as if sown with pearls, is in itself very lively, and its ornamental
blooms, which are for some time produced in great profusion, are of a gay
rose-color, enlivened in a remarkable manner by the large prominent yel-
10

146 THE FLORIST AND

loTf anthers. It is quite a gem. Maranta Warczewiczi and Aphelandra
squarrosa Leopoldi are two other gay, variegated-leaved plants, very desir-
able for general cultivation. Gesnera Donkelaari is a very rich-looking
plant of hybrid origin, its inflorescence resembling some of the larger flowered
varieties of Pentstemon Hartwegi, better known, perhaps, under the erro-
neous name of gentianoides. We may further mention Gomphrena coccinea,
as another very useful plant for decorative purposes ; it is perennial with
orange-colored flowers, and should be treated similarly to its near ally, the
well-known globe Amaranth.

Of older, but comparatively novel, plants, the Impatiens Jerdonise, already
noticed and figured in our pages, proves itself to be one of the gayest of
recent introduction. — Lond, Flor.

PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE.

Stated meeting at Hall, South Third street, on Wednesday morning.
May 2d, 1855, Mr. Landreth, President, in the Chair.

Minutes of preceding meeting read and approved.

Messrs. John R. Wilmer, Wilmer Cannell, of Philadelphia, and Richard
A. Gilpin, of West Chester, were elected resident members.

Mr. Isaac W. Roberts, of Chester county, one of the oldest active mem-
bers and for many years an office bearer of this Society, was unanimously
elected an honorary member.

Four propositions for resident membership were received.

Mr. Landreth, in behalf of the Committee to confer with the President of
the United States Agricultural Society, on the subject of that Society's
holding its next annual exhibition near Philadelphia, reported, that as no
such exhibition could be held without the consent of the Pennsylvania Agri-
cultural Society b*eing previously obtained, he has addressed a communica-
tion to the officers of the executive Committee of the State Society asking
to be informed of the action of that body, but had received no answer.

Dr. Elwyn stated that he had been present at the meeting of that Com-
mittee held in Harrisburg a fortnight ago, and that the consent of the Com-
mittee to the proposition concerning the exhibition of the United States
Society had been refused.

Mr. Newbold (Executive Committee) reported that the Committee had
visited the grounds of the Butchers' and Drovers' Association in the twenty-

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 147

fourth ward, proposed as a site for this Society's exhibition, but had not
found the Committee of that Association there.

Mr. Blight (same committee) reported against the selection of the grounds
above Germantown for the exhibition of the Society.

Dr. Kennedy (same committee) reported in favor of the Society's holding
an exhibition this year and submitted the following resolution :

Resolved, That this Society hold an exhibition next autumn, the time and
place to be fixed by the Executive Committee, and announced at the earliest
day.

The resolution was discussed by Messrs. IngersoU, Newbold, Mulvany,
Kennedy and Landreth, and finally agreed to.

On motion, the Executive Committee were instructed to prepare a sche-
dule of premiums, and report the same at the next meeting of this Society.

Mr. Landreth, in behalf of the Committee to ascertain whether a suitable
room can be procured for the meetings of the Society, stated after due
search, no room more eligible than that at present occupied by the Society,
could be obtained at a reasonable price. On motion, the committee were
continued.

A communication was received from the Bucks County Agricultural So-
ciety, stating that their next annual exhibition would be held on 2d of Oc-
tober next.

Mr. Samuel Williams presented his resignation from the Executive Com-
mittee, which on motion was accepted, and Mr. C. W. Harrison nominated
to supply the vacancy.

Mr. A. T. Newbold moved that a committee of Arrangements, for the
next exhibition, to consist of 15 members, be appointed ; which motion was
agreed to.

The Chair announced " The Winter feeding of Stock" as the subject for
consideration at the present meeting, and invited from the members gene-
rally an expression of their views.

Mr. C. W. Harrison had not performed a series of experiments calculated
to throw light on the important questions involved in the economy of feed-
ing. The object in view ought to be well considered beforehand, whether
it was to fatten, to improve the secretion of milk, or to keep our animals in
a condition to produce the most perfect progeny, and the kind of food
adapted accordingly. Not only was the kind but the state of the food im-
portant. Persons differed as to size of food, many preferred feeding cut
hay, others recommend hay uncut, he inclined to the latter opinion. Un-
cut hay was longer retained by the animal, and its nutritious portions more

148 THE FLORIST AND

fully extracted : he knew this was opposed to the general practice. When
hay was fed with ground food it of course must be cut, or it would be
wasted.

Mr. A. W. Spangler stated that all good practice, especially in England,
was opposed to the views just expressed. The great complaint among sta-
ble-keepers and omnibus men was, that they could not obtain machines to
cut short enough. The finer it was cut, the better, and less was trampled
under foot.

Mr. Isaac Pearson had not used much cut hay, he fed with wheat chaff
mixed with cut rutabaga turnips, and was well satisfied with the result.

Mr. Owen Sheridan carefully saved all his wheat chafi", and used it mixed
with ground corn and cob. New horses sometimes refused it at first, but
they soon became accustomed to it, and thrived on it.

Mr. John S. Haines had used ground cob and corn for twelve years.
His mill ground the cob finer than the grain. He moistened his mixture
before feeding with it.

Dr. Elwyn approved of cob food for both horses and cattle. The cob
and grain ground up together. The plump condition of cattle thus treated
attested their perfect health.

Dr. C. R. King objected to the opinion that cut hay was less perfectly
digested because of its not being retained by the animal suJB&ciently long;
with ruminating animals, this of course was impossible, and even with hor-
ses he thought the statement inadmissible. It was true economy to moisten
cut food.

The Chair used Indian corn and cob ground together, soaking before
grinding. His practice was to feed horned cattle with a large proportion of
roots. He sowed down all his cultivated ground as soon as possible after
the removal of the summer crop, with turnips, the flat topped vari-
ety, which produces but little leaf. He gathered the turnips, leaves and
all, threw the loads in rows on the barn floor and covered them with corn
fodder, which in ordinary seasons keeps out the frost without earth cover-
ing : he begins to use from one end of a row, closing up carefully. In course
of time the small amount of tops may become a little slimy, but not to an
extent sufficient to cause them to be refused by cattle. The advantage of
a mixture of roots with the fodder had always been evident in the fine con-
dition of the stock in tlae spring.

Mr. S. C. Willits had always found that turnips stored with the tops on,
would heat and putrify. He did not regard turnips as a desirable food for
stock, but rutabagas were much better than white turnips. The bulk of
food was enormous ; much of it was water.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 149

Dr. King stated that the turnip contained principles which were not to
to be found in corn fodder and dry food. It was sometimes an advantage
to enlarge the bulk of food, even if the increase in bulk were not digested.

Mr. Isaac Newton agreed with the last statement, the cob was not so nu-
tritious as the corn, yet it was true economy to grind them and feed them
together, the grain alone was too heating. The ground cob kept down
fever. In sowing his turnip seed, he used a machine which was carried by
a man in front and supported by a strap passed over his shoulders.

The Chair thought that machines for sowing turnip seed ought to be car-
ried or drawn close to the ground, especially in windy weather.

Dr. Elwyn reported the death of Chauncey P. Holcomb, Esq., and after
paying a just tribute to the memory of the deceased, he offered a series of
resolutions, which were unanimously adopted.

Mr. Coats, of the City, exhibited a working model of his oblique hemp and
corn cutter, and explained its mode of action. The machine is intended to
run either between the corn rows or around the field ; it cuts the stalk, and
lays them longitudinally behind it. There is one knife which strikes ob-
liquely downward, and is suflficiently powerful to cut several sugar canes or
corn stalks at one blow.

Adjourned.

291 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, June 9.
My Dear Sir :

My object, this morning, in making a verbal communication to the Agri-
cultural Society was to suggest that the carcases of dogs killed under the
" dog law," so called, might be employed to carry out, on a large scale,
some experiments, of which I made mention to the Society some years since,
in which fish or flesh was converted into a pulverizable mass, equivalent to
guano.

It would only be requisite to steep the animals in a solution of about
three parts sulphuric acid, four parts of salt, and thirty of water, for from
six to twelve hours, and subsequently to dry them under a shed, protecting
from rain, or by an anthracite fire, as meat is smoked.

Preferably the skin should be removed before the steeping, and the
abdomen opened.

The animals might, however, be stunned by a blow, and thrown into the
solution.

Or they might be injected by the solution, by the jugular artery, and also
through the gullet or rectum.

150 ^ THE FLORIST AND

Hydrostatic pressure might be used by placing the solution in any elevated
position, in an upper story, for instance, of any building resorted to, and
bringing it down by a small leaden pipe.

When the^dessication is effected by heat, as above suggested, it may be
carried to the temperature of melting tin nearly, say 400 degrees, without
diminishing the ammoniacal elements. When this heat is used, the whole
mass becomes friable, and easy to reduce to powder, the bones as well as
the flesh. Slugs roasted to this point become as brittle as glass. This fact
was verified on a pretty large scale, by the liberal assistance of Robert
Gilmor, Esq., of Maryland, who wrote a most favorable account of the
success of the resulting manure.

When animal matter, such as slugs or bones, is heated in a closed vessel,
the first escape of the ammoniacal elements may be detected by a feather
dipped in muriatic acid, or by a very weak and almost colorless solution of
blue vitriol or sulphate of copper.

Fetor is corrected by wood, tar or rosin, which may be made more active
by mingling with oil of turpentine.

Sincerely the well wisher of yourself and of the Society,

Yours truly,

ROBT. HARE.

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The stated meeting of this association was held on Tuesday evening.
May 15, in Concert Hall. R. Buist, Vice President, in the chair. The ex-
hibition was remarkable for the richness, beauty and variety of the plants
and cut flowers, in the many contributions shown, and afforded much grati-
fication to the numerous members and visitors in attendance. Each collec-
tion presented interesting specimens. In Mr. Buist's were three shown for
the first time — Azalea vittata rosea, Epacris miniata splendens and Verbe-
na Kurtz s defiance ; the collection of twelve were choice and well grown ;
the six Azaleas were handsome plants, and the six Cineraras were fine.
Among those from Mr. Dundas' houses were three Orchids, one seen for
the first time, the Oypri'pedium barbatum, the specimen Azalea variegata
was a gem, and Conoclinum ianthinum choice ; the collection of twelve were
select, consisting of three fine Rhododendrons, G-ardenia Stanleyana,
BegoniUs ; &c. ; the six were Begonias, Cuphea, and Deutzia ; there were
also distinct collections of Cfloxinias, Cinererias and Hyacinths. Gen.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 151

Patterson's gardener brought half a dozen of beautiful and well grown
plants which were much admired. From Mr. Cope's houses were three new
plants — Thihaudia puleherrima, Ci/pripedium barbatum and Tropoeolum
molaejiorum ; the specimen plant was the Henfreya scandens and the col-
lection of six were choice plants. John Tucker's gardener had a new and
interesting Acacia alata, shown for the first time; the six Azaleas were
beautiful and the six standard plants were handsome. Henry A. Dreer
sent a collection of twelve of the choicest roses. John Sherwood, a fine new
Seedling Camellia, and other Seedlings of merit ; also a new ever-blooming
Pink — Wilmer's Laura and a new hardy Delphinium Rendersonii. D. R.
King's, a handsome specimen plant, Rhyncospermum jasminoides. Peter
Raabe exhibited a large vase containing a great number of blooming Hya-
cinths, growing in moss, a beautiful object. Charles Miller displayed a
very fine collection of JPansies, Auriculas, Caleeolorias and Stocks ; Martin
Gundlach, two sets of Pansies. John Gray, a dwarf Azalea Coccinea and
Erica Qaffra. A. Burnett, gardener to H. P. McKean, Azalea Stanley-
ana.

Baskets and bouquets were shown by Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Bald-
win ; J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert ; Jerome Graff, gardener
to Caleb Cope ; C. O'Brien, gardener to D. R. King ; and James Kent,
gardener to J. F. Knorr — the latter not in competition.

Jonathan Baldwin, of Chester county, brought specimens of the Indian
and Cart-house apples.

Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin, exhibited Cauliflowers, Lettuce,
&c. Mr. Thompson, gardener to Mr. Tucker, Cucumbers, and John
M'Laughiin, Rhubarb.

The following Premiums were Awarded by the Committee on Plants
and Flowers — Roses, 12 plants, for the best, to Henry A. Dreer ; Azaleas,
6 plants, for the best, to Wm. Thompson, gardener to John Tucker ; Speci-
men Azalea, for the best, to Robert Buist ; for the second best to John Pol-
lock, gardener to James Dundas ; Hyacinths, for the best to John Pollock,
gardener to James Dundas ; for the second best to Peter Raabe ; Cinerarias,
6 plants, for the best to J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert ; for
the second best to Robert Buist; Pansies, 10 plants, for the best and
second best to Charles Miller ; Collections of 12 plants, for the best to
Robert Buist ; for the second best to John Pollock, gardener to James Dun-
das ; Collections of 6 'plants, for the best to Wm. Thompson, gardener to
John Tucker ; Specimen plant, for the best to Cornelius O'Brien, gardener
to D. R. King ; for the second best to John Pollock, gardener to James
Dundas ; New plants, first premium three dollars to Jerome Graff, gardener

152 THE FLORIST AND

to C Cope, and premiums of one dollar eacli to John Pollock, gardener to
James Dundas, to Robert Buist, and Wm. Thompson, gardener to John
Tucker: Table design, for the best to C. O'Brien gardener to D. R. King ;
Bashet, for the best to Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin ; for the
second best to J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert ; Bouquets, for
the best pair, to the same ; for the second best to Jerome Graff, gardener to
C. Cope ; Special premiums, two dollars to Peter Raabe for a vase of Hya-
cinths ; three dollars to Charles Miller for Calceolorias, Stocks and other
plants, and one dollar each for collections of plants to Isaac Collins, gar-
dener to General Patterson ; to Jerome Graff, gardener to C. Cope, and to
John Pollock, gardener to James Dundas. The Committee notice a beauti-
ful seedling Camellia of a cherry red color, and a beautiful monthly bloom-
ing carnation, shown by John Sherwood.

By the Committee on vegetables — Cucumbers, for the best two to Wm.
Thompson, gardener to John Tucker.

Bhubarb,^-£or the best twelve specimens to John McLaughlin, and a spe-
cial premium of four dollars to Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin, for
a collection of Cauliflowers, Cucumbers, Radishes, and Lettuce ; very fine
for the season.

The Committee of Publication reported that an estimate of collating the
transactions could not be formed.

A letter from L. E. Berkman, on behalf of Alexander Bivort, in reply to
the compliment of his election to a corresponding membership, was read.

The Secretary announced that he was authorized by John Fisk Allen,
the author of the superb work on the "Victoria regia," to present the soci-
ety with a copy ; and on motion, a tender of the thanks of the Society were
ordered for this appropriate gift.

The Committee on Publication was instructed and authorized to prepare
the transactions of the Society from the commencement, and print 100
copies.

The following resolutions were submitted by Mr. Buist, and unanimously
adopted by the Society.

Resolved, That this Society has learned with the deepest sorrow, the
death of Thomas Hancock, who departed this life (from an attack of pneu-
monia) at his residence near Burlington, New Jersey, on the 21st ult., in
the 54th year of his age.

Resolved, That in acknowledging the sudden bereavement with which
this Society has been visited, it also expresses its keen appreciation of the
severe loss the various institutions with which the deceased was connected

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 153

in his native State and elsewliere ; and to the promotion of whose aims, he
ever brought a rare practical intelligence, an ardent zeal and sound judg-
ment.

Resolved, That whilst the life of so useful a citizen might be fittingly pre-
sented as an example worthy of imitation on the part of a large body of
surviving friends, the void which his death has occasioned cannot be more
intensely experienced than by the members of this Society, with whom he
co-operated for so long a period in the discharge of official duties, (being at
the time of his death a member of no less than four of its most important
Committees.)

Resolved, That although this Society is far from sanctioning the publica-
tion of fulsome memorials of living men, yet it deems a sketch of the life,
character and labors of its departed member, a proper subject for the pages
of those journals, to the interest of which he had so often contributed ; and
trust that the principal one in our land will favor its readers with such
other notice of this distinguished horticulturist as may be due to his
memory.

Resolved, That this Society especially condoles with the immediate
family of Mr. Hancock, in the sad dispensation which now afflicts them, but
hopes, nevertheless, that in reviewing the blameless career of their honored
head, they will find much to comfort and solace them in their distress.

Resolved, That copies of these resolutions, signed by the President and
Secretary, be transmitted to Mrs. Hancock, and to the publishers of such of
the horticultural journals of the country as are received at the rooms of the
Society.

Five gentlemen were duly elected members of the Society.

BROOKLYN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

SECOND ANNUAL EXHIBITION.

The Spring Exhibition of the Society opened on Wednesday April 11, at
the Brooklyn Athenaeum, and ended on Thursday evening. No better
proof could be given of the flourishing condition of the Society than the ex-
cellency and completeness of this exhibition. The arrangements had been
made with great care and taste, and as might be expected, large numbers
of visitors were present to enjoy the festivity. The display of green and
hothouse plants was exceedingly fine, including some new and beautiful varie-
ties. Other plants of the more familiar kinds, such as Azaleas, Hyacinths,

154 TEE FLORIST AND

Roses, Fuchsias, Verbenas, Cinerarias were out in great beauty and perfec-
tion. Whoever compared these creations of Nature with those gaudy shop-
window imitations of flowers, could see full well how wretched are even the
best devices of art. Wax and wire done up ever so fancifully could avail
nothing here — absolutely nothing.

Interesting and instructive addresses were delivered before the Society on
Thursday evening, by the President and the Rev. Dr. Vinton.

We are glad to learn that the efforts of the Society to establish a Botani-
cal Garden are so successful. The bill passed the assembly on Thursday.
Messrs. Hunt, Langley, and Kent, have mads an appropriation of land for
this purpose, comprising about 16 acres, and valued at $25,000. Mr. Hunt
gives $50,000 towards the endowment, from whom the Institution is to be
named the Hunt Botanical Garden. The whole amount of stock is to be
$150,000, of which more than $100,000 is already subscribed. The shares
are $25 each.

Below are the Premiums awarded, which give an outline of the articles
exhibited, and from the judgment and care exercised by the committees,
furnish a pretty safe criterian of relative merit.

Collections. — For the best dissimilar collection of hot and greenhouse
specimen plants, not less than 12, $12, George Hamlyn, gardener to W.
C. Langley, Esq., Bay Ridge; for the second best $10, Martin Collopy,
gardener to J. H. Prentice, Gowanus ; for the largest and best collection,
comprising new and rare plants, not less than 20, $12, J. E. Rauch, Gow-
anus ; for the best two specimens of ornamental or variegated-leafed speci-
mens, $7, Martin Collopy, Astoria.

SotJiouse Plants. — For the best four specimens, $3, Alexander Gordon,
gardener to Edwin Hoyt ; for the second best, $6, M. Collopy ; for the
best single specimen, $3, J. Weir, Bay Ridge ; for the second best, $2,
Thomas Templeton, gardener to Alfred Large, Brooklyn.

Grreenhouse Plants. — For the best four specimens, $3, A. Gordon ; for
the second best, $6, M. Collopy ; for the best single specimen, $3, A. Gor-
don ; for the second best, $2, Colman, gardner to Cummings.

Pelargoniums. — For the best six specimens, $8, George Hamlyn; for
the second best, $5, George Hamlyn ; for the best four specimens of fancy
varieties, $5, George Hamlyn ; for the second best, $3, A. Gordon ; for
the best four specimens of scarlet varieties $3, D. Murphy, gardener to J.
S. T. Stranahan ; for the second best, $2, D. Murphy, gardener to J. S.
T. Stranahan.

Azaleas. — For the best four specimens, $8, Alexander Fraser, gardener
to Dennis Perkins ; for second best, $6 ; S. Hamlyn ; for the best single speci-
men, $3, I. Templeton ; for the second best, $2, J. W. De Grauw.

Poses. — For the best twelve varieties of Bourbon, Tea, Noisette &c., $3,
J. E. Rauch ; for the second best, $6, James Weir ; for the best six vari-
eties, $5, James Weir.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 155

Fuchsias. — For the best six dissimilar specimens, $6, "Wm. Poynter,
Brooklyn ; for the best three specimens, $3, Wm. Poynter, Brooklyn ; for
the second best, $2, T. Templeton.

Cinerarias. — For the best six varieties, $4, T. Templeton ; for the se-
cond best $2, Wm. Poynter ; for the second best three, $2, for the second
best, $1, Ed. Decker, gardener to J. Q. Jones, Staten Island.

Montlily Carnations. — For the best four varieties, $3, J. E. Ranch ; for
the second best, $2, James Weir.

Verbenas. — For the best dissimilar collection, not less than 12 varieties
$5, J. E. Ranch ; for the seond best, |3, Jas. Weir ; for the best six speci-
mens, distinct varieties, $3, Jas. Weir ; for the second best, $2, J. E.
Ranch.

Stockgillies. — For the best specimen, Jas. Weir.

Syacinths — For the best six varieties, $3, J. DeGrauw ; for the second
best, $2, J. DeGrauw.

Cut Flowers. — For the best twelve varieties of Roses, $2, Jas. Weir ;
for the second best, ^1, J. W. Burgess, Glen Cove ; for the best six vari-
eties of Camellias, $2, Jas. Weir ; for the second best, $1, W. & J. Parks ;
best twelve Pansies, $1, James Weir.

Bouquets, Baskets, etc. — For the best pair of hand Bouquets, $3, W. &
J. Parks ; for the best Baskets of Flowers, $4, Wm. Poynter ; for the
second best, $3, W. & J. Parks.

Vegetables. — For the best Asparagus, twenty-five stalks, ^2, George
Hamlyn ; for the best dish of Mushrooms, $2, Edward Decker ; for the
best six heads of Lettuce, $1, Edward Decker. — Am. Agriculturist.

THOMAS HANCOCK.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, by the death of Mr. Thomas
Hancock, has lost one of its most valuable members. For a long time con-
nected with it, he contributed much, by his knowledge and activity to its
prosperity and usefulness. There were few who came in contact with him
who did not admire him. There was a straightforward honesty in his man-
ner which made him an agreeable companion ; and the same quality inspired
a trust in him which was never misplaced. He always expressed a decided
opinion on any subject which came before him without reference to persons,
and acted as became a man. Would there were more like him in the horti-
cultural world.

156 THE FLORIST AND

SOUTHERN BOTANY,

Botany of the Southern States : in two parts. Part I. Structural and Physiological
Botany and vegetable products. Part II. Descriptions of Southern plants,
arranged on the Natural System, preceded by a Linnaean and Dichotomous
Analysis, By Prof. John Darby, A. M. New York : A. S. Barnes & Co., 1855,
pp. 612. Price, U 75.

The Flora of our Southern States, beautiful and varied as it is, is too
little known and appreciated in the north. While they have with us the
handsome Ericaceous shrubs, the Kalmias, Rhododendrons, Andromedas
and Azaleas, in greater number and beauty of species, they have with
them their splendid Magnolias, Halesias and other beautiful trees. Their
climbers in addition to ours are such as the handsome Caprifolia, and the
sweet smelling Gelsemium ; six of the seven species of Sarracenia are found
south of Virginia ; the Dionaea of North Carolina, and the Tillandsia of
Florida, are among the curious and interesting plants which decorate their
swamps and forests.

While we are waiting for the completion, if such an event will ever hap-
pen, of Torrey & Gray's Flora of North America, the descriptive part of
the book before us, will, with Gray's Botany of the Northern U. S., serve
as a handbook of the Eastern half of the States.

The books most used for southern plants, Pursh's Flora and Elliott's
Botany have grown old. Generic names are changed in many instances,
and the Linnaean system has gone out of use. This, with the exception of
the author's edition of 1842, is the only complete Flora we have of the
South.

The work is divided into two parts. First, a treatise on structural and
physiological botany, arranged for the use of the schools with questions at
the bottom of each page. This, the most important part of the book, is
well handled in the usual manner of such works ; the style is clear, and the
various forms and structure are well illustrated by wood cuts. We say
the most important part, for the science of botany is very differently esti-
mated now from what it was some years ago : as the author very aptly
says in his preface. " Botany has been generally considered as limited to
enabling one to determine the name of the flower, and, as studied in our
schools and colleges, this is about all it accomplishes. A student thus
taught has just about as much claim to any useful knowledge of Botany, as
one who^ barely knows the name of the whale, has, on that account, to a
knowledge of that animal. To know the names of things is certainly an

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 167

important particular, but that sucli knowledge constitutes a science is
absurd."

The author's peculiar ideas on the structure of monocotyledouous stems,
are briefly, and to our mind satisfactorily stated ; but on this point we do
not wish to express a decided opinion, as we have not given suflicient atten-
tion to the subject.

The systematic part of the work is at present of more interest to us ;
the Linnaean and Dichotomous analysis, preceding the descriptions will be
of use to those not familiar with the natural arrangement.

The descriptions of species are full and clear, but the size of the book
affords very little room for synonyms.

Some genera which have been ignored, are retained, as the Darlingtonia
of De Candolle, among the Leguminosae, and the Neottia of Linnaeus,
amongst Orchideae.

We have been able to give but a rapid glance at the book, but from that
we are satisfied that it is worthy of a careful reading, and, as we said above,
as a handbook, is indispensable.

THE APPLE BORER.

The impression has been prevalent, especially at the West, that little need
be feared from the Apple Borer. And for this reason among others, this
apparently insignificant insect, has been stealing a march on us, which has
resulted in great damage. We learn from different quarters that its ravages
have been terrible.

A few facts may serve to put this matter fairly before the fruit growers
among our readers.

In the fall of 1854, a gentleman of our acquaintance, an amateur in
gardening, remarked to a friend that nearly one-half of his apple-trees
were attacked, and that several of them were past cure. He advised his
friend to look about the roots of Ms trees, and see whether they were not
infested too. His friend followed his advice, but found none. This spring,
however, the friend examined his trees more carefully, and found to his
dismay, a large proportion of his apple-trees seriously damaged. He
found too, that beyond all doubt, the borer had begun its ravages years ago,
and that they had multiplied greatly in his trees, while he was congratulating
himself on his imaginary exemption from them.

Another fact shows the same state of things. A nurseryman, doing an

1.58 THE FLORIST AND

extensive business in a neighboring county, found, on examining bis young
apple-trees this spring, that in some parts of his grounds, eight in ten of
all of them were hopelessly ruined by the borer.

Another gentleman has told us that a considerable number of his apple-
trees, and some mountain-ash-trees on his grounds are greatly injured or lost,
in the same way.

These facts and many others like them should startle every one who has
planted a tree, and who would not have his hopes blasted in consequence of
inadvertance or misinformation. We must give battle to this insidious and
destructive insect at once, or thousands of dollars of loss will be suffered
by the nurserymen, and fruit-growers of the West, in a very short time.
Indeed, we think we should not be far wrong, were we to say that among
the fifty thousand readers of the Farmer, thousands of dollars have been
already lost, within the last three years by the ravages of the borer.

If these things are so, our readers will permit us to make a few remarks
on the natural history of the borer ; and on some other matters which may
throw light on the best mode of resisting its attacks. The season too, is at
hand when the insect commences its work of destruction ; and it seems
peculiarly fit that attention should be turned to the matter now.

What is the Borer f The Borer is the larva, or grub which is hatched
from the egg of a beetle, belonging to the family of Buprestidse, or Bupres-
tians. The beetle itself is about half an inch long, with brown and white
stripes, and flies at night.

When does it lay its Eggs ? In the latter part of May, and first part of
June, it pierces the bark of the tree with its spear, and deposits its eggs
under the bark. This it does near the root of the tree, in perhaps the
greater number of cases, especially in small trees. Indeed some writers,
whose observations seem to have been confined to one or two classes of
operations performed by the beetle, state that it deposits its eggs only at
the root of the tree. This is a mistake. We have dug them within the
last few weeks, from all parts of the trunk, from the ground to the branches ;
they seem to have a special liking for those parts of the tree which are de-
cayed. On the south-west side of the tree where the sun has scorched the
bark or the wood beneath ; also where the bark has been bruised by cattle,
or in any other way ; also where the tree is naturally weak, and shows signs
of early withering and death — wherever any or all these inducements are
offered, the beetle seems quite ready to accept the invitation, and make its
investment. Let no one imagine, therefore, that his trees are free from the
borer, because he finds none about the roots ; let him examine all parts of

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 159

the trunk carefully and especially the weak, wounded or decayed parts.
He may find them in any of these portions of the tree.

Appearance of the grub, and way of doing its work. The egg seems to
be hatched hy the natural warmth of the season. The appearance of the
grub is the following : — It is whitish in color, with a large head and body,
whose diameter is about half that of the head, and whose length is about
four times that of the head ; its general shape resembles that of a tadpole.
We have seen them of different sizes, from half an inch to more than an inch
long. Their ravages are committed in getting their food, which is the inner
bark of the tree, and the tender wood. Sometimes they feed on the solid
wood, especially in small trees. They are furnished with a strong pair of
jaws, with which they eat their way along, leaving behind them a thin track
of powder like sawdust ; they may be easily followed by these signs, when
they confine their operations to the surface-wood. They may remain in the
tree several years, before they emerge in the form of the beetle; for it is
in the tree that they get their entire growth. In small trees they often
penetrate to the very heart of the trunk, and seem to burrow there for the
winter. We have dug them out of such hiding places, which they found in
some beautiful Tallman Sweetings, that were utterly destroyed by them.

Sow have they found their way to our orchards? They seem to follow
the process of improvement, and to keep pace with the planting of trees
and shrubbery of all kinds. They appear to go from the older portions of
the country, to the more newly improved regions, making a few miles pro-
gress every year ; we are inclined to think that they can spread quite
rapidly, by the transportation of young trees from distant nurseries.
Within a few weeks past, grubs have been taken from apple-trees which
were taken from a Rochester nursery in the spring of 1854. These grubs
were so large that the idea was at once suggested that they must be more
than a year old ; this became almost certain, when these huge grubs were
compared with some others, taken from trees near by, which were very
small, though found where they might have had a rapid growth. It be-
hooves us to look well to the trees we buy ; we do not know certainly, that
nurserymen can detect the presence of the grub, in all cases ; but we think
it can be ascertained whether the tree has been stung. If so, all buyers
have the right to claim of sellers that no damaged articles be offered them.

Sow shall we resist the Borer ? In all ways ; no one thing will do the
whole work ; under the head of prevention, we would suggest several things :

1. Buy none but sound trees ; sound, we mean, in every sense ; trees of
vigorous growth, of fine roots, of unbroken bark, and that never have been
stung by the beetle.

160 THE FLORIST AND

2. After setting the trees out carefully, protect them from the attacks of
the beetle, by washing them with the following preparation : To two quarts
of soft-soap, add half a pound of sulphur, and dilute the mass till it is as
thin as paint, by pouring in strong tobacco-water. The tobacca-water may
be prepared by breaking up fine, two ounces of strong tobacco, and pouring
on two or three quarts of soft warm water, and letting it stand two or three
days before the wash is made ; apply the wash with an old broom freely to
the trunk and lower branches, after the rough bark has been scraped off.
Make one application about the middle of May, and another about the first
of June. It is said that the beetle will not touch a tree that has thus been
treated.

8. Before the weather becomes very hot, we think the trees should be
well whitewashed with lime, or protected from the sun by a board, or by
wrapping a wisp of straw or hay round the portions most exposed to the
heat. White does not absorb heat as darker colors do. If the trees are
whitewashed, and one of the other covers for the young trees are used,
very few, we think, will be injured ; always supposing that the preventives
mentioned first, are faithfully employed..

4. A little circle of ashes should be placed at the root of the tree close
around the collar. This, it is believed, will prevent the beetle from dis-
turbing the tree at that point, if it be done early enough in the season.

Mow shall we destroy the Borers we have ? In the case of trees that have
been seriously injured, we can say nothing better, than that they should be
pulled up, root and branch, and the part that contains the grubs destroyed.
If they have been but little hurt, the grubs should be carefully extracted
and killed, and the wounds covered with grafting wax or shell-lac, and the
tree washed as above suggested.

If young trees have been much punctured, we believe they had better be
destroyed at once. It will be of little use to try to save them ; and if they
do live, they would be weak and nearly worthless.

We repeat, that the trees already infested, should be treated with the
wash mentioned above, after the grubs have been taken out. This would,
it is hoped, prevent their return.

We have made our remarks on this topic longer than we designed. But
we cannot close without begging all our nurserymen, and fruit-growers, to
attend to this matter speedily. They may avoid great disappointment, by
prompt attention to the trees and shrubs, this year. They may suffer great
loss and^subsequent discouragement, by neglecting it for one month longer.
— Ohio Farmer.

^

/ >

A.Bifiol, Del

l-A Pbl^

CENTROPOGON FASTU.OSUS.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 161

CENTROPOGON FASTUOSUS.

Lobeliacese — Pentandria Monogynia.

Char. Gener. — Calyx tubo subgloboso, cum ovario connate, limbi superi
quinquefidi laciniis subulatis patentibus. Corolla summo calycis tubo inserta
tubo cylindraceo, medio incurvo, integro, limbi quinquefidi laciniis falcato-
galeatis, inferioribus patentibus. Stamina 5, inter corollam et annulum
perigynum carnosum, quinquedentatum persistentem inserta ; filamenta et
anthercE, quarum duse inferiores aculeo ovato triangulari cartilagineo, soli-
tario terminatse, in tubum liberum coalitse. Ovarium inferum, biloculare.
Ovula in placentis magnis, carnosis, dissepiment© utrinque adnatis, medio
cristatis plurima. Stylus inclusus ; stigma exserta bilobum ; Baeca globosa,
bilocularis, pericarpio tenui, placentis carnosis.* Semina plurima. Sujfru-
tices Amerieoe tropicce foliis alternis integris, serratis, floribus axillarihus
solitariis longe peduncalatis. Presl.

Char. Spec. — C. caule simplici teretiusculo glabro, foliis ellipticis acutis
vel acuminatis, basi obtusis breviter petiolatis dentatis, dentibus minimis
acutis callosis uncinatis, pedicellis folio subbrevioribus, basi bibracteolatis,
calycis tubo hemisphserico, lobis lanceolato acuminatis, tubo longioribus sub-
denticulatis. Corolla incurva superni subventricosa, lobis superioribus ma-
joribus recurvis faucem obtigentibus, antheris longe exsertis omnino hirsutis,
bacca globosa.

This plant although not generally cultivated until within a few years in
gardens, is an old species, having been described by Linnaeus under the
name o^ Lobelia Surinamensis.

It is one of the most useful of our greenhouse plants, flowering, with little ,
care, nearly the whole season. It forms a compact bush, bearing a cluster
of its beautiful rose-pink flowers near the end of each branch. The folige
is bright green and dense. The leaves resemble those of the Peach. It
has been cultivated in this city with great success in the last four or five
years and is obtainable from nurserymen generally.

SUMMER PRUNING OF GRAPE VINES.

It has often been advised, and that too by some of the best grape

cultivators, to stop the bearing shoots at an eye, or at most, two eyes above

the bunch, and likewise to do the same with the young cane when it has

elongated to the top of the rafter, also to pinch-out all laterals as they are

11

162 THE FLORIST AND

produced, thereby making the operation into a rule. There is no doubt
that many conscientiously believe such a system to be judicious, and
because their crops are satisfactory to themselves, they continue on the same
practice without further consideration ; but this does not close up the
avenue for free discussion, neither does it prove that it is the ultimatum of
perfection. If we pursue the investigation of this matter in a physiological
manner, we are led to understand that all summer pruning tends to lessen
the vigor, and cripple the energy of all plants, and practical experience
combined with observation proves the fact. Arguing from this point I may
be accused of advocating no summer pruning at all, to which I would say,
not guilty. If the greatest extension of branches, and corresponding roots, or
bulk of timber were the object, then the less pruning the better, but the
present position is a consideration of circumstances, and adaptability,
independent, to a certain extent, of Nature's action, the object being to coax
her to accomodate herself to our conveniences, and as the grape vine is one
of the most easily trained of her family, we have, in this case a partial
control. We ought then to consider what we are doing, and how far we are
acting in unison with what is known to be established laws, and that to
infringe too far upon which, is sure to produce evil. This or that man's
dogmatical opinion must certainly fail, unless it be based upon this undis-
putable certainty; where is the use of following this "should be," or that
"ought to be," unless somewhat in accordance with these natural demands.
Yet we find a prolific and luxuriant plant such as the grape vine is,
stubbed in, cut close, and sheared like a convict, it might be said, shaved too,
ibr the pinching back to an eye above the fruit is nearly tantamount to that
close operation. The reason given for this peculiar treatment is that the
fruit, and also the plant is strengthened by it. How, would it strengthen
one's toes by cutting off a finger, supposing another would grow in its place,
or would an animal produce the finer offspring if the body were to be
mutilated. It is just possible that an amount of gangrene would be the
consequence, but as to truly healthful action, it is feasible that we should
be none the gainers. Perhaps this kind of analogy may be thought a very
vulgar way of explaining what might be shown in more delicate words ; but
of course the true meaning is purposely exhibited to show up the ridiculous-
ness of curtailing nature further than there is occasion for. As stated above,
the subject is a matter of circumstances, we have to do with a family of
plants that would occupy a great volume of surface, yet we wish to have a
large aumber, comparatively speaking, in a small space, and the best we
€an do is not to weaken natural energy more than there is occasion for.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 163

Pruning properly performed and at the right reason is certainly of great
service ; we find it practically so — its good eiFects are everywhere to be seen
when such is adopted, but so far and no farther is it advisable. If proof be
required of the injury that may be done by too close stopping, let anybody
try the experiment of pinching-in closely the side shoots of a part of his
vines, and leave the others several joints longer and he will find at the end
of the growing season, that those which were left the longest are better
ripened than the shorter ones, providing the light has had equal influence
on both. If the vines are no further apart than three feet, the distance will
allow a shoot on each side of fifteen to eighteen inches, upon which there
will be from seven to eight leaves, and allowing the fruit to be on the second
or third joint, there will still remain four or five leaves above it, each of
which will do its duty of elaborating the crude juices, and assimilating the
carbonic acid absorbed, thereby adding to the bulk and solidity of the whole
structure, and if so, of increasing the amount and greater firmness of the
roots ; for according to the quantity and action of the foliage under favorable
influences, so are the underground extremities encouraged.

With judicious treatment the grape vine is a plant of great longevity
notwithstanding which, with the practice of some vignerons it is considered
to be worn out in a few years, and fresh plantations have to be made
periodically. This may in vineyard culture answer the particular purposes
of the cultivator, and by the method of only allowing a few feet of bearing
surface to each individual, a great amount of fruit and suitable quality for
his purpose may be obtained from a limited extent of land employed. Here
is evidence that too much curtailing of the plant's natural disposition shortens
life, and vreakens down the constitution to such an extent as to make it
worthless, comparatively speaking, in a short time. Considering that there
is not a very great expense in replanting a vineyard, the means may be
said to justify the end, but when we come to the outlay incurred in erecting
glass houses, preparing borders &c., it behooves us to think well how we can
pay back a permanent interest on the capital invested, and if there be any
method that will keep a house of vines in healthy bearing for a long time
without the requirement of renewal, surely it must be wisdom to adopt it.
Now, if the grape vine is a long liver when allowed to extend, and soon worn
out if kept in small compass, is it not reasonable, if we wish permanancy that
all the available space that we have in the superficial area of a house, should
be covered with healthy leaves, in order the better to concentrate, and store
up the food for future development, and add each year a fresh layer of well
organized alburnum to the previously existing sound vascular tissue ?

164 THE FLORIST AND

If we take further into account the glutted preparations that are often
compounded for vinery borders, and the consequently immense encourage-
ment given to luxuriant growth, it really appears surprising that such
close cutting-in as is generally practiced, does not either kill or cause disease
in less time than is the case, and it is just possible that the present ravages
of mildew in Europe have been accelerated by this cause.

Such are the writer's ideas upon the subject, and as the present object is

to enlighten the learner, they are submitted to the approval, or censure, as

each practical and successful cultivator may think fit, with the conscientious

belief that such is more becoming the present age of progress, and if followed

up would be the means of prolonging the healthfulness and fruitfulness of

the grape vine.

Wm. Chorlton.

ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE RHYNCHOSPERMUM
JASMINOIDES.

This plant is one of the numerous productions of Mr. Fortune's first mis-
sion to China, and amongst the most beautiful of our climbing plants. It
was introduced from Shanghai, to the gardens of the London Hort. Soc. in
the year 1844, and by them pretty soon distributed abroad. Although it
has been in this country several years, it is by no means commonly to be
met with, but when its real beauty is known and its adaptability for grow-
ilag in our ordinary greenhouses, we predict it will be more common. Be-
sides being beautiful when in flower, it has the good quality of being deli-
ciously sweet scented, somewhat similar to a jasmine, which it resembles
■when seen at a distance. The corolla is about three quarters of an inch
long, pure white, salver shaped, contracted in the middle of the tube, with
a partially spreading border. It flowers in small irregular corymbs, the
peduncles being considerably longer than the leaves. The plant is evergreen
and has the property of sending out rootlets all up the stems whenever they
come in contact with the soil, or a damp surface, similar to the ivy, hence
is easily propagated by having a shoot near the soil, or by cuttings of half
ripened wood. Unlike some of the climbers, its branches are moderately
stout and a very little support suffices, hence there is no necessity for the
"forest of sticks" or "ijet work of wire" sometimes seen for plants of this
nature to run on, much to the disfiguring of the specimens. The plan we
adopt for plants of this character, is the following : Procure four sticks of

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 165

cedar wood of the desired length, and as small as consistent with strength,
and insert at equal distances around the outside of the soil, nearly perpen-
dicular. Then take some stout wire and form a hoop a trifle larger than
the rim of the pot, and fasten by small wire inside of the sticks one third
their length from the edge of the pot. Make another hoop as much smaller
than the rim of the pot and place on the outside of the sticks securing again
with wire, the same distance from the top of the stick, that the other is
from the pot, hoop the sticks over the top with wire, paint green, and you
have a durable support, unoffensive to the eye, that will last many years,
and which any gardener can make.

CULTIVATION.

It is by no means difficult of cultivation, and if allowed moderate pot
room and a growing atmopjphere, in spring and early summer, will form a
a nice little flowering plant the first season, as it will flower well even in a
young or small state. The following will be found suitable directions for
growing specimen plants : Early in the spring, say the first of March, take
a nice little stocky plant and place in the hothouse. It will here soon com-
mence growing, when it should be potted into a larger pot and placed in a
light part of the house. By the end of April, it should be transferred to
the front shelf of the greenhouse — or, what is better, a close, moist pit. It
will most likely be rooted on the outside of the ball, and if so, should have
another shift, which maybe into a 7-inch or 9 inch pot, according to the size
of the one it was in before. A few small sticks should be placed in the pofe,
and the branches tied loosely to them ; it may be kept in the greenhouse or
pit till July, after which it should be plunged in a sunny border in the open
air till rains commence in the fall, when it should be taken into the green-
house, and placed in an open airy place to perfect the ripening of the wood
the watering gradually diminished, and during the dead of winter only
enough given to keep from wilting. It may stand without injury under any
of the large plants, and thus take up no important room. In the sprmg
again, the plant may be introduced to the hothouse with advantage, havmg
previously given it a little fresh surface soil, and being furnished with the
trellis recommended above. It will commence flowering in April, and if
placed in the greenhouse, will continue flowering six weeks or two months.
After the flowering is over, another shift and a moist, growing atmosphere
will soon start it into growth again, when it may be treated similar to the
first year. By continuing this process a very large plant may be obtained,
if desirable. As an exhibition plant there is none of its character which

166 THE FLORIST AND

excels it. The foliage will want occasional sponging to keep down red spi-
der and other pests that commonly infest plants with a milky sap. Eor
soil use one half turfy loam, one fourth peat or leaf mould, the same of
white sand all well incorporated together. The pot should be carefully but
not deeply drained.

TiLGATE.

ALLAMANDA NERIIFOLIA.

Although inferior to A. grandiflora, A. Schotti, and other varieties of the
genus, both in the size and color of the flowers, this has the advantage of com-
ing into bloom much earlier than any of the other varieties, and flowers very
freely in a small state ; and when seen in the form of a really well managed
specimen, is perhaps more generally admired than^any of the Allamandas in
cultivation, except grandiflora. Its dwarf, compact habit also renders it very
suitable for persons of limited means for plant culture, and when managed
so as to have it in flower at the proper time, it forms a first-rate subject for
exhibition purposes ; but it must be admitted that it is nearly worthless for
decoration, for although it will bloom for months in succession, it cannot,
by the best management, be kept long in perfection, and the flowers soon
become too few and small for the mass of foliage to allow of its being efl"ec-
tive ; but it is easily kept in first-rate condition for several weeks, and may
be cut back after the first flush of beauty is over, and had in good condition
again in the autumn, and I have by this means frequently shown the same
plant twice the same season, — in May and again in September.

This Allamanda is easily propagated by means of cuttings of the short
jointed young shoots, which, if selected in a rather firm state, afi"orded a
moderate bottom heat, and otherwise treated with ordinary care soon emit
roots. The cuttings should be got in early in summer, however, so as to
allow of having the plants strong and well established before winter, and
they should also be potted singly as soon as they are sufficiently rooted,
placing them in a warm, moist situation until they get fairly established in
their pots. When the young plants get into free growth, after potting, place
them near the glass, where they will have plenty of light, but shade slightly
in the forenoons of bright days, to prevent scorching, and encourage free
growth. In forming a specimen of this plant, timely attention towards
getting it well furnished at the bottom is of consequence, for it should be
grown in the form of a low bush, exactly like a Pimelea or any other hard-
wooded plant, and young plants should be stopped, cutting back to the last

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 167

promising point above the soil. There will be little gained, however, by-
stopping too soon, as, unless the ejes are prominent and the roots in a
vigorous state, but few shoots will be produced ; therefore stopping should be
deferred until the plant is well established in a 5-inch pot. Keep the plant
growing as freely as possible during the season, repotting as may be neces-
sary to afford the roots sufficient space, stopping a second time if there is a
fair prospect of securing an increased number of shoots, and getting these
moderately ripened before winter. It should be borne in mind, however, that
unless the shoots are strong and well ripened, they will break out poorly in
spring. The plants may be wintered in the cool end of the stove, keeping
them near the glass, and giving no more water to the soil than will suffice
to keep the foliage from flagging ; or they may be placed in any light situ-
ation vrhere a temperature of about 55° is maintained. It will doubtless be
necessary to grow the plants a second season before getting them sufficiently
large to be worth notice as flowering specimens ; for unless a plant has
some 20 to 30 strong, well-placed shoots it will hardly be possible to make
anything like a first-rate specimen of it the following spring. Supposing,
however, that the plant is in this state, which with ordinary care will easily
be the case after a second season's growth, about the middle of February
cut the shoots back to the lowest promising eyes, and reduce the ball, shak-
ing away as much of the soil as can be done without seriously injuring the
stronger roots, and after slightly pruning the roots, repot in the pot in
which the plant is to bloom. As to the size of the pot, this must be regu-
lated by the size of the specimen, &c. ; a 15-inch pot will be large enough for
the growth of a fine specimen, and there will be more certainty of getting
the plant to bloom freely by keeping the roots rather confined. After pot-
ting, plunge in a mild bottom heat of about 85° where the night tempera-
ture of 65° or 70° is maintained, letting it rise to 80° or 85° with sun heat.
Keep the atmosphere moist, and sprinkle the plant lightly with the syringe
every fine afternoon, but give water to the soil until the buds begin to push ;
and if care is observed to have the soil for potting in a moist healthy state,
no water will be necessary until the buds fairly start, and then only a mod-
erate supply should be given, for too much would probably induce a gross
habit of growth; therefore, until the shoots are fairly set for bloom, give
water only when it is absolutely wanted, and then give a good soaking, so
as to moisten the whole of the soil. When the buds have fairly started,
and the roots appear to have got hold of the fresh soil, the plant should be
lifted out of bottom heat and jjlaced in a rather airy part of the house, in
order to prevent over luxuriant growth. As soon as the shoots are fairly

168 THE FLORIST AND

set for flowering, and with proper management they will show flower before
making much growth, then a rather free supply of water may be given, and
in the case of large specimens which may be rather short of pot room, give
plenty of manure water. Syringing over-head should, of course, be discon-
tinued when the blossoms begin to expand, but a thoroughly moist state of
the atmosphere must be maintained, if large flowers are desired, and it is
doubtless the neglect of this which is the principal cause of the miserably
small flowers which are often seen upon this plant.

While in bloom the plant may be removed to a somewhat cooler situation,
provided the proper degree of moisture can be maintained in the atmosphere,
which will tend to prolong its beauty. As already stated, the specimen will
continue growing and flowering the whole season, but it can seldom be had
in first-rate condition after the first head of flower is over, and unless better
things are scarce, or it can be cut back and grown a second time, it need
not receive any very particular care through the summer, merely afibrding
it a situation in a rather warm house, and a moderate supply of water. By
annually cutting back and disrooting, a specimen will last any length of
time, and will soon form an immense bush, producing a grand efi"ect when in
full beauty.

The best soil for this plant is good strong fibry peat with a small propor-
tion of turfy loam ; the peat and loam should be carefully broken up and
intermixed with a liberal proportion of clear sand to insure the soil taking
water equally ; and in potting, the soil should be made moderately firm, so
as to prevent the water escaping without first moistening the ball.

" Wm. Cole.

In London Florist.

DELPHINIUM COGSWELLIANUM.

Although all the Delphiniums are worthy of cultivation, yet I think
pretty perennial Larkspur will prove a great acquisition.

It is a native of California, but of what part I do not know. It was
found in 1853 by Dr. William Brown, formerly of Hartford, Connecticut,
an amateur botanist, who named it in honor of Dr. Mason F. Cogswell, an
eminent physician and botanist of Hartford, with whom he studied. I
sowed the seed in August last, in pots prepared for the purpose, placing
a square 6f glass over it, and plunged it in a spent hotbed. The seed
vegetated in a few weeks. Having potted them off, they grew vigorously,

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 169

and bloomed in the greenhouse, and were pale in color. Those which have
bloomed in the open air have been beautiful, answering to the description
given by Dr. Brown in his letter.

It grows very well under the same treatment as other Delphiniums. Its
color is bright scarlet, with lighter eye, and very dark anthers. Its height
is two feet; the foliage resembles that of D. elatum.

Wm. Grey,
G-ardener to J. T. Norton, Esq., Farmington, Qt.

The specimens accompanying the letter, above were very beautiful.
Bedded in masses, they will contrast well with the blue varieties. — Ed.

THE WILD CHERRY. {Cerasus serotina.)

Amongst the numerous neglected native trees, there is one, above all
others, that demands greater respect from the cultivator of trees — the
Wild Cherry. It has no fault, but has many admirable qualities ; yet there
is not a tree in our nurseries perhaps less often met with. It may not pos-
sibly be deemed "a shade tree;" its light thin foliage is not equal to that
of many other trees, in affording us sensual pleasure, by a grateful shade
during the dogdays ; and it is not desirable that it should. It is not a tree
to sit under ; it is one rather to be looked at, and admired from a distance.
To us, accustomed to its appearance, it is not so striking as to a stranger
to our vegetation. To him it has a peculiar cast. It is like a " peach that
is not a peach ;" an anomaly amongst familiar faces.

Early in spring it commences its growth, bearing with it its blossom
buds, which become fully expanded early in June ; at this time it is truly
beautiful. The cylindrical branch of numerous white and fragrant blossoms
generally occupy half the surface of the head of the tree. Dotted at regular
intervals, it gives it the appearance of a huge variegated Holly at a little dis-
tance off: but too beautiful to last long. A few weeks only is its appointed
time ; then all is over for awhile. But, like a pleasant dream, it follows
us along. We may not have forgotten its beauties : but, hardly conscious
of what we have seen, we are recalled to it again with the warm days of
July, by a constant rustling among its branches. The early songsters of
the spring are there. The Urds—tlie no small ingredient in the cup of
pleasure meted out to those who have chosen a country home— the birds

170 THE FLORIST AND

find a pleasant loasturage in the field of foliage spread out before them.
The berries are "delicious bits" to them; and many a meal's victuals,
besides an occasional "lunch between whiles," do they afford them. They
will leave all other trees for the Wild Cherry ; it is at once their favorite
"hunting ground" and "council chamber." You who feel proud of the
welcome the feathered tribes give you, .on your first arrival at your rural
residences, will you not, in all gratefulness, surround your homes with the
means of their support ? If you are not a member of the " Carson
League," you may reserve to yourself a tithe of the fruit, for the manu-
facture of " Cherry Bounce," and when in a social mood, invite your
friend, as a worthy one of mine does, to "take a leetle, just by way of
medicine," with you. But, should you eschew all these unpopular modes
of showing fraternal feelings, you will still have an immediate personal
interest in the culture of the Wild Cherry ; for while you have it Avithin
your reach, you may make to yourself a tonic and a febrifuge, by which
you may safely reap the advantages of any "Cherry Pectoral," and that,
too, without infringing the patent laws.

The Wild Cherry is as easily cultivated as any of the garden kinds.
The nuts should be sown as soon as ripe, or before the frosts set in. If
kept till the spring, they seldom appear till the year following, and, in
some cases, not at all. The second year from germination, the young
seedlings should be taken up, their main roots shortened, and replanted
into nursery rows. They will move readily for some years after.

The best time to transplant the Wild Cherry is in the autumn, as soon as
eve? some rain has moistened the ground, after the fall of the leaf. Their
success is less certain, when moved in the spring.

Thos. Meehan.

ON THE TERM "NATURAL" AS APPLIED TO LANDSCAPE.

BY AVILSON FLAGG.*

I have already treated this subject, somewhat briefly, in a former num-
ber of this Journal. In that essay I merely suggested a few hints in rela-
tion to certain general laws by which nature is governed in the grouping of
plants, and the development of their forms. As it is highly important to
understand these laws, if we would avoid doing injury to the landscapes we
attempt to improve, I shall make them the subject of further discussion and

* In Hovey's Magazine.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 171

inquiry. It is often denied that one scene is any more natural than another,
if they are each the growth of nature. An orchard, say these objectors,
is just as natural as a wild forest, and a garden of tulips as natural as a
tract of wild pasture, thickly overgrown with indigenpus herbs, flowers and
shrubbery. Though it cannot be denied that one is the production of nature
as well as the other, yet the former deviates more widely from the process,
the direction and the forms of vegetation which nature causes to appear on
the face of the earth, when she is left to her own spontaneous efforts.

To ascertain these principles, we must take note, in the first place, of the
course of nature in the wilderness, where she has been left, from immemo-
rial time, to her own spontaneous efforts : secondly, of her course in clear-
ings, where, after man has removed the trees and shrubs, she is left, undis-
turbed, to replenish the space : thirdly, in land which has been once entirely
subjugated by the tiller of the soil, and then left to nature to overcome the
effects of tillage in her efforts to restore her original creation : lastly, of the
course of nature in those places in which man, acting as an improver, has
endeavored to regulate her operations. In each of the three first cases, the
work of nature may be considered legitimate : and although, under each of
these circumstances, the results may be widely different, they all equally
indicate the laws of nature, when left to those apparent chances by which
the indigenous vegetation of any land is restored.

Before I proceed further in this inquiry I will allude to the importance of
imitating the ways of nature, when creating landscapes and laying out
pleasure gronnds, with the design of obtaining from them the greatest
amount of enjoyment. It has been denied that the pursuit of this course
will insure a more favorable result than to follow one that is strictly arti-
ficial, as in the Dutch gardens. I would freely admit that in horticultural
operations, as in the planting of nurseries, arboretums, and beds for florists'
flowers, any attempt to imitate nature would be as absurd as to attempt it
in the cornfield or the kitchen garden. The objectors remark that the
tangled wilderness is far from agreeable, either as a place for recreation or
as a scene for the entertainment of the eye; that it is destitute both of
beauty and comfort, and that we always take more pleasure in a garden that
is well kept, than in one that is overgrown with weeds. These objections
are based on a misconception of the true meaning of the natural as distin-
guished from the artificial in landscape. There is a vagueness in the signi-
fication of these terms which it is difiicult to clear up. I am disposed to
apply the epithet natural to all those scenes in which art has wrought in
harmony Avith nature : and I believe it will be found that in all old settle-

172 THE FLORIST AND

ments, a pleasure ground that extends beyond the space of an acre, will
afford satisfaction to the visitor in proportion as it is made to resemble the
work of nature, without her defects.

In the close vicinity of our dwelling-houses, it is useless to attempt an
imitation of nature in the style of their enclosures. Neatness, beauty and
convenience are to be regarded above all other considerations. But in an
extensive tract which is designed for rural recreation, the more nearly we
can imitate the ways of nature consistently with the attainment of other
needful purposes, the more satisfaction shall we derive from the place. There
is an air of freedom and seclusion about a place that seems entirely inarti-
ficial, that fills the soul with the most agreeable emotions. We feel secure
from interruption, and a pleasing sense of our right to ramble and loiter
there. The first highly -wrought fence or other artificial structure immediately
suggests the idea that we may be trespassers, and that we may meet some
one who, as guardian or proprietor, may dispute our right to enter upon his
grounds. It does not follow that there is anything like envy combined with
this feeling ; but every object that is palpaply artificial produces a sense of
constraint, and damps the poetic emotion of solitude. Though the proprie-
tor of a place may feel disposed to disregard these influences on the minds
of strangers, I am confident that, in the same proportion as, on any account,
it would fail in exciting agreeable emotions in the minds of others, would it
also fail in yielding pleasure to himself and his family.

Though complete and uninterrupted solitude would be hardly preferable
to death, yet every man of reflective mind delights in occasional retirement.
Heioves to go out so far into the fields and woods that he may not be liable
to interruption ; and he feels this charming seclusion most powerfully in
scenes of native wildness, or in those in which the planter has designedly or
otherwise imitated the spontaneous ways of nature. No sooner does he per-
ceive this careless irregularity, unmixed with the costly works of art, than
he feels that he is alone. If at the same time the solitary birds of the wil-
derness are seen and heard around him, the emotion of solitude is the more
vividly impressed upon his mind. Indeed this feeling is seldom complete,
until he hears those wild notes from creatures that cautiously avoid the busy
town and its vicinity. It seems to me, therefore, an important principle in
the art of creating landscape that there should be present in it everything
agreeable that is found in a wildwood, and that everything artificial should
be excluded that would disturb those poetic feelings which are awakened by
the real scej:ies of nature.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 173

A landscape may be considered natural, if we find in it all those produc-
tions whicli "we meet in a forest, except its redundances. All the indigenous
plants must be there, though they may grow in a better condition, and in a
less crowded entanglement than in the wilderness. The trees may have a
wider spread, and the shrubbery may grow more independently outside of
the woods instead of forming only a meagre undergrowth. The hand of
man may have assisted the plants to obtain their full development, without
excluding any species. The birds and other animals that are the true ten-
ants of the wildwood must also be present, whose appearance, in moderate
numbers, is the best evidence that the harmony of nature has not been dis-
turbed.

We find in the primitive forest an entangled and crowded growth, and an
excess of humidity, that render the charms of nature unavailable to us, and
many places inaccessible. A great entanglement obstructs our passage and
interferes with the course of vegetation, Man, by removing these impedi-
ments, does, in truth, render nature the more natural, as a plant becomes
more natural when removed from a dark cellar into the open air. So long
as no species of plant is destroyed which would be found in the place, if it
had not been subjected to culture, and so long as each plant and animal en-
joys its native habitats and circumstaeces of growth, the landscape has not
been denaturalized by the removal of redundances.

The word natural is not sufficiently precise to be conveniently used in
philosophical discussion. I should prefer a term which is more specific, and
had not been generalized into unmeaningness by universal bad use. The
term used should express a combination of all the properties and character-
istics of a wild scene, divested of its inconveniences and of everything that
interferes with the growth and development of all those plants which nature
is struggling to produce, from the minutest moss or lichen, to the tall pine
or the wide-spreading oak. Just so far as we improve the development of
the indigenous plants and animals, without deranging their natural propor-
tions and relations to one another, do we improve nature without destroying
her characteristics. Nature, when left to herself, admits of an excessive
crowding of species : and it is only in occasional situations that she is ena-
bled to afford any one tree or other plant its full proportions.

Though it might be averred that a scene is more natural in which every-
thing has grown up with these imperfections, we might with the same pro-
priety contend that the dense and stived population of a crowded city, only
half developed in their physical proportions from the want of light and
fresh air, are more natural than the well developed inhabitants of the coun-

174 THE FLORIST AND

try. It seems to me that we may denaturalize a place in tlie two following
ways :— either by depriving it of some of the individual species and groups
that belong to it ; or by arranging them in an order that can only be
attained by art. Nature has made certain groups to harmonize with one
another, and to depend on each other : and if we disturb these relations we
do violence to her system. And though there may be certain noxious
plants and animals which must for our own safety and comfort be extir-
pated, the offence we thereby commit against the order of nature is a neces-
sary deviation from a general principle.

The English artists in landscape, and their followers, have omitted to
take all these things into consideration, and have believed themselves copy-
ists of nature, when they have simply imitated her irregularities, in the ar-
rangement of the different objects in their grounds, while they omit to copy
her other graces or characteristics. It is true that nature does not plant
her herbs, trees and shrubs in rows, or according to any mathematical lines
or figures : but it does not follow that one who plants in the same irregular
manner, produces a work that is modeled after nature. As well might we
call hina a mathematician, who placed his figures in mathematical columns,
while the figures had no relation to one another, and led to no result. We
must form our opinion of the character of any tract by the decision of na-
ture herself. If Ave find within it all those indigenous plants which would
have been found there, if the grounds had never been disturbed, and all
the indigenous birds and animals accei^ting it as their home, then may w^
believe that nature is truly the presiding goddess, receiving the homage of
all her creatures.

The little solitary birds that flee the park and orchard, and reside only
in the woods where certain of their natural conditions still remain, would
not inquire whether the planter had arranged his trees and shrubs in rows,
or scattered them at random ; but whether he had left the wild bushes,
grasses and vines in which they are accustomed to nestle, and the wild fruits
and seeds that afford them sustenance. How geometrically soever the trees
and shrubs may be arranged, if they are attended by the same groups and
species that form their bedding and undergrowth in the wilderness, the tract
thus arranged is more natural than a park consisting only of selected trees
and lawn, without any undergrowth of native plants. In the one case, every
natural circumstance is present, except the irregular planting ; in the other
case, every natural circumstance except the irregular planting is absent.
Those in^provers, therefore, who flattered themselves that they were copy-
ists of nature, when they introduced the custom of irregular planting, and

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 175

of curved and straggling walks, while the surface was all smooth lawn and
the walks neatly graveled, were as far from nature, as a lady florist who
should, for the same reasons, scatter her flower pots in wild irregularity
over her parlor carpet.

A straight cartpath is frequently made by our farmers through a level
piece of woodland, and then left to nature, who embroiders its sides with all
the herbs and flowers that habitually frequent such places. It never seemed
to me, when I have been strolling through one of these rustic avenues, that
it savored any less of nature, on account of its direct course. If it were
very long, a walk in it would not be so pleasant as in an irregular or wind-
ing avenue. Both are artificial, for nature makes no paths at all. But the
plants arranged in almost straight lines in the one case, and in curve lines
in the other, following the course of the path, are all equally natural, be-
cause they are in each case the spontaneous growth of nature.

I used formerly to visit the path of an ancient railroad which had long
been deserted for a more commodious route. No traveling, except that of
foot passengers, had passed over it for eight or ten years. Nature had taken
possession of it, and she seemed to revel with delight in its long straight
course. The bushes and other wild plants that embroidered its sides were
charming to behold, when their irregular confusion was contrasted with the
regular outline of the roadside. Surely, thought I, there is nothing in
straight lines to which nature has any aversion, who seems not less willing
to enter in and occupy this path, than if it were an elliptic or a cycloid, or
no figure at all. Those appearances are attended with a singular charm
where nature has taken into her own bosom a place once modeled by human
art and then forsaken. The delightful sentiment of antiquity is always
awakened by a scene of this kind : and the more grand and beautiful the
original work thus returned to the hand that gave, the more profound is the
emotion with which it is contemplated. While we tread upon the ruins,
thus overgrown, of an ancient fortification, a dilapidated wall, or an old
magnificent pleasure ground, we cannot help confessing that they have a
charm, compared with which the beauty of the original work must have
been insignificant.

Those situations in which nature has been once subdued by man, and-
afterwards allowed to resume her sceptre, are of all places the most delight-
ful when she has completely re-established her empire over them. Such, I
am confident, is their influence upon the majority of sensitive minds. It is
not that they have more sympathy with nature than with humanity, but
they feel that man must enjoy more happiness among the simple scenes of

I

176 THE FLORIST AND

the natural world than among the ambitious works of art. Hence comes
that serene pleasure that always attends us, when we behold the Rural Dei-
ties resuming their habitation in grounds once despoiled by man, and making
known their presence by knolls tufted with moss, by plats of wild flowers,
by tangled bowers, and the voice of the solitary bird, who flees the haunts
of "luxurious wealth, and sings only to the children of the swains.

PARKS AND BOTANIC GARDENS.

Many of the citizens of Philadelphia, devbted to science, or interested
practically in promoting education, are looking with some anxiety to the
proceedings contemplated for the establishment of a great public park along
the Schuylkill. The considerations in regard to the security of the river
bank from co'ntamination by chemical works, tanneries, &c., &c., are of over-
powering importance. The necessity that the stream should be kept pure
in the neighborhood of the Fairmount reservoir, weighs on the mind of
every one. It may be presumed, therefore, that all suitable efforts will be
made by the public authorities to secure for public use, as large a space as
is possible along the river bank at Lemon Hill, and northwards. /

It is natural for strangers everywhere, such as I have been in regard to
this country until very lately, to appeal to sovereigns of territories for aid
in establishing public institutions. This we do here in appealing to the
people, for they are the sovereigns, and to them we may appeal more hope-
fully, because they are more directly interested in the result of every such
undertaking, and will act without vain-glorious and fussy caprice, with a
steadfast view to the great practical ends to be accomplished. The comity
of intellectual men over all the world is leading everywhere to scientific
intercourse with all the world. Every people has its peculiar branch in the
great towering tree of human knowledge, whose leaves, like those of the
tree of life in regard to man's spiritual and eternal being, are for the intel-
lectual healing of nations. It would be a discredit that ours should be
shrunken, stumpy, frost-bitten, or sun-scorched.

No doubt can there be as to the fact, that America ought soon to be the
leading agency on earth, in regard to everything conducive to the well-
being of men. Its great cities will strive with a noble emulation, to lead
on the advance of these agencies. But America yet wants even one great
public institution, potent and conspicuous, where the productions of its

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 177

varied and extensive forms of organic life may be found collected, and a
depository provided for preserving what other countries, united to us by a
universal commerce, can afford to give in exchange for our own. Rio Ja-
neiro has, probably, at present, the first rank on the Western Continent in
this respect. The small capitals of the southern British colonies are get-
ting provided with botanic gardens. The world owes not a little to the city
of Leyden, in Holland, and some even of the smaller cities of Germany,
for persevering efforts in behalf of the natural sciences. So that all sorts
and sizes of places, under all sorts of governments, where wages are high
and where wages are low, where facilities are great and where facilities are
small, are contriving to take a share corresponding to their means and influ-
ence, in contributing to the general progress. Let Philadelphia be at it
also, in a style corresponding to its rank and resources.

The needful preliminary is to secure the ground as noticed above. When
got, it will necessarily be laid out and ornamented in some way or other.
Some expense is requisite for this purpose. Some addition to this expense,
but not necessarily a great addition, will convert a park into an instructive
institution of a powerfully influential character. The park may be made a
book, not merely, however, like an album, splendidly bound, gilt and let-
tered outside, but blank within; now, for the gratification of idlers and
saunterers alone, corresponding to the superb folio of the French farmer of
taxes under the old monarchy, where the alternate leaves contained in gaudy
blazonry the successive dates of many years, followed by the words " The
King came to visit me." Let the book be full of good matter, not only for
Philadelphians, but for all the world to read and ponder. The subject-mat-
ter to be read and pondered may consist of the whole variety of vegetable
organization found within the boundaries of this great State, tastefully and
systematically arranged. It is evident that if we can go no farther, we
may go thus far, without any great addition to the mere expense of keep-
ing the ground in order. Let everything be conspicuously named or labelled,
as is done with some plants in the London parks. Then may the book be
profitably read by all men. Time, experience and maturing taste, will soon
advance such an institution beyond this point. In this mode how soon may
we beneficially and economically commence.

Men will become anxious to see how the graceful palm throws around the
tall stem its gigantic plume of leaves, or how creepers hang their elegant
festoons to flutter in the air, or how the fantastic and jBrial orchids wreathe
their coronets of glowing splendors round old trunks. The vivacity of ani-
mal life will not long be excluded. The humming birds of southern lands
12

178 THE FLORIST AND

may be admitted to flash with burnished lustre among the flowers of their
own clime, and brilliant butterflies reared and studied where their forms
may be gloriously developed, and their demeanor watched, A farther ad-
vance may bring to public view the abundant variety of American eagles
sitting solemnly on their perches, or giraff"es straddling round their stalls,
along with the hosts of other denizens of the zoological collections of the
world. A commercial people will fix its interests greatly on the sea. Thus
will the transparent tank be employed in these repositories, to bring to light
the behavior of all strange things which fix themselves to the shores, or
wander in the deep, which bore piles, endanger ships, afibrd food, or spread
a sensitive vegetation over the bottom of the sea.

In all this, it is evident, there will be much which becomes expanded
before the scrutinizing eye of science, in a mode not otherwise attainable.
In a locality combining beauteous scenery, pure air, open space and instruc-
tive ornament, the youth of our community will imbibe an earnest and wake-
ful spirit in respect to natural science, and in respect to our position and
our duties in regard to nature, which will be defensive against idleness, fri-
volity and selfishness. And from any rank in life among them, there may
thus be drawn forth into their right place and action, and brought under
suitable training, the master minds whom Providence entrusts to soci tj for
the promotion of its highest interests. Such institutions are almost indis-
pensable adjuncts to the school, the academy and the college ; and the need
of them must soon be felt, that they may sustain the advance which this
great country is making.

I am, sir, yours most respectfully,

J. CONSTANTINE AdAMSON.

InPenn. Inquirer.

THE GRITTINESS OF PEARS.

The grittiness of pears is the chief circumstance which diminishes their
value at the dessert. Some are more subject to the afiection than others ;
but all are occasionally deteriorated by it. The proximate cause is known
to consist in the deposit of hard matter in certain cells of the flesh, analo-
gous in all respects to that which gives its bony texture to the stone of
Plums, Cherries, &c. In all these cases, the tissue is originally soft and
pulpy, and if it were to remain so the whole of a Plum would be as per-
fectly eatable as a berry of the Grape. But in stone fruits gritty matter is
gradually deposited within the pulpy cells of the lining of the flesh, as con-

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 179

stantly and naturally as phosphate of lime in the gelatinous tissue of the
bones of animals. In the Pear, on the contrary, there is no special jjart
set aside for the reception of the grit, which manifests itself accidentally
here and there among the soft flesh, sometimes in large and sometimes in
small quantities. In fact, in the Pear the grittiness may be regarded as an
unnatural secretion, induced by unknown causes, while in stone fruits it is
part and parcel of their nature.

We say induced by unknown causes, for we are not aware that any
attempt has been made to show out of what circumstances the grittiness
arises, or by what it is diminished or prevented. We are now, however, assured
that it is entirely owing to the exposure of the Pear fruit to too much cold.
It appears that on the 16th of last November, Mr. A. Delaville, gardener
at the Chateau de Fitz James, near Clermont (Oise), exhibited before the
Imperial Horticultural Society of Paris, some St. Germain Pears, a part
of which were covered with spots and full of grittiness, while the others
were remarkable for their beauty, and wholly exempt from grittiness. We
are assured that both samples came from the same tree, and that the only
difference consisted in the fine ones having been protected, while the others
had been exposed to the weather without any shelter. In fact, M. Dela-
ville is of opinion that the external spots and the internal grittiness were
wholly caused by the cold rain which had fallen on the fruit during its
growth, and had arrested the free circulation of sap.

With reference to this hypothesis, he remarks that the sorts which are
most subject to spotting [tavelage] and grittiness are those which have the
finest skin, such as the St. Germain, Crasanne, Brown Beurrd, and Winter
Bonchretien. The effect of aspect also supports this view, it being noto-
rious that the affections in question are most common with Pears on open
standards or exposed to the east and south, the quarters whence (at Cler-
mont) the coldest rains always come.

The manner in which M. Delaville protects his Pears is thus described : —
As soon as the fruit is completely set he encloses every cluster in a cornet
. of paper, fixed to the top of the stock by a piece of rush (bast). This cor-
net must be large enough to cover all the upper part, so as to guard the
fruit perfectly from the direct action of exterior agencies. If a tree is
trained to a wall the same degree of protection is not necessary, because
the wall affords a natural shelter on one side, but where pyramid or other
openly trained trees have to be dealt with, the cornet must be very wide,
and the small end placed upwards, so as to leave nothing uncovered except
the bottom of the fruit stalk.

These cornets remain in their places during the whole season, and are not

180 THE FLORIST AND.

disturbed till about a fortnight before gathering, at which time th^y are
removed, in order to give the fruit color and to complete the ripening, "just
as peaches and grapes are unleafed a short time before gathering them."
M. Delaville concludes by assuring the public that by this simple method
his Yfhole crop of Pears is very fine, instead of a third or more being un-
marketable, as is often the case.

The effect of these precautions should certainly be tried here, now that
Pears are getting into the condition when paper cornets are first applied.

Qard. Chron.

SPARE THE BIRDS.

Summer is here, and with its pleasures will come the daily nuisance to
those who dwell amid rural scenes, of hearing the " soft notes of the shot
gun." Every one who has paid attention to the matter, knows that even
crows and black-birds are productive of more good than harm, and that the
vast increase of late years of destructive insects, is owin^ almost entirely
to the wanton destruction of birds, which are not even legitimate game.

In Japan the birds are regarded as sacred, and never under any pre-
tence are they permitted to be destroyed. During the stay of the expe-
dition at Japan, a number of officers started on a gunning excursion. No
sooner did the people observe the cruel slaughtering of their favorites,
than a number of them waited upon the Commodore, and remonstrated
against the conduct of the officers. There was no more bird shooting in
Japan by American officers after that ; and when the treaty between the
two countries was concluded, one express condition of it. was, that the birds
should always be protected. What a commentary upon the inhuman prac-
tice of our shooting gentry, who are as eager in the pursuit of a tom-tit as
of an eagle, and indiscriminately shoot everything in the form of a bird,
which has the misfortune to come within reach of their murderous weapons.

On the top of the tombstones in Japan, a small cavity or trough is
chiseled, which the priests every morning fill with fresh water for the use of
the birds. Enlightened America should imitate these beautiful customs of
the barbarous Japanese, if not by providing fresh water for the feathered
warblers, at least by protecting them from the worthless louts, who so ruth-
lessly destroy them. Unless something is done, and that speedily, our in-
sectivorous birds will be wholly exterminated, and then farewell to fruit
growing.^ A thousand plans have been suggested for the destruction of the
curculio, all of which have proved worthless. We have one which we know
to be vaioWihlQ— protect the birds. — Daily Paper.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 181

COLOR AND ODOR OF FLOWERS.

The products of no department of nature have been more admired for
the beauty of their colorings, and the variety of their tints, than those of
vegetables. Flowers have ever been the example of nature's penciling,
and from their beauty in this respect they have been the subjects of the
poet's strains.

" Who can paint
Like nature ? Can imagination boast,
Amid her gay creation, hues like hers ?
Or can she mix them with that matchless skill,
And lose them in each other, as appears
In every bud that blows ?"

Our Saviour, with unequalled beauty, in his allusion to the Lilies of the
field, yields his assent to the same sentiment.

The various colors are supposed to have their origin in a substance
called Chromule, and that the great variety of hues presented in the
vegetable kingdom are produced by the action of acids and alkalies on the
chromule.

Chromule in its natural state is green, and by maceration may be
readily separated from the tissue, to which it gives coloring. The grains
of chromule are of an irregular shape, rather approaching the sphere, but
somewhat angular, and consist of a semi-fluid, gelatinous mass, not enclosed
in a sac. It is affirmed by some to contain iron and manganese, to which
the varieties of color are owing, produced by the accession of these dif-
ferent substances, as it is well known that almost every hue may be pro-
duced by these two metals. But the quantity of chromule which exists in
plants is exceedingly small ; Berzelius estimated the quantity in the leaves
of a large tree not to exceed three and a half ounces.

To enable plants to deposite chromule, light, in most cases, is absolutely
necessary. This is abundantly shown by the fact, that plants growing in
the dark become blanched; not that the chromule already deposited
becomes less, but that it is surrounded by the deposition of substances
containing no chromule, and of course becomes less observable. There
are examples, however, of plants growing in deep mines, having never
enjoyed the light of day, which, nevertheless, are green.

Crreen is considered the natural color of vegetation ; and when it is not
of this hue, in the language of Botany, it is said to be colored.

The change of color produced on chromule has been referred to different

182 THE FLORIST AND

causes. The two most deserving of notice are the one of Schubler and
Funck of Tubingen, and the other of Macquart.

Both theories consider green as the original color, but the means by
which the variations are produced are accounted for on very different
principles by the supporters of the two theories. Schubler and Funck
maintain that all variations from green are produced by acid or alkaline
secretions. The green chromule, acted on by these substances, assumes
every variety of hue. The hues assumed by the flowers are determined by
the different agents by which they are produced, with the exception of
red; this is common to both. Those produced by the action of the
alkaline secretions, from green, are — Greenish-blue, Blue, Violet-blue,
Violet, Violet-red, Red.

This is called the Blue, Cyanic, or Beoxydized series, and any variation
of color from one of these hues will always be by passing into some other
of the sam^ series. Those colors produced by the acid secretions are —
Yellow-green, Yellow, Orange-yellow, Orange, Orange-red, Eed. These
constitute what is called the yellow, xantJiie, or oxydized series.

This theory has been attacked by the most able physiologists, and they
have considered themselves successful in pointing out errors in experiments
and observations which are sufficient to invalidate this extensively received
theory. Mohl, in a memoir in the Annales des Sciences Naturelles, vol.
ix., p. 212, examines various theories on this subject, with apparent
impartiality, and gives his decided preference to the following theory of
Macquart, although it does not receive his unqualified approbation.

Macquart admits that the various colors are owing to the various modifi-
cations of Chlorophyll, but denies that it is owing to its being oxydized by
acids, or deoxydized by alkalies, but that it is converted into two distinct
substances by the addition and abstraction of water. By the loss of water
it is converted into a blue substance, called anthocyane, which is soluble in
water, but not in alcohol. By the addition of water, the chlorophyll is
converted into a yellow substance, called antlioxanthine, which is partly
soluble in alcohol, and partly in water. These two substances form the
basis of the two series of colors above given. They both sometimes exist
in the same flower, but occupy different cells ; the anthoxanthine being
situated in the inferior cells, while the anthocyane occupies the superficial
ones. This gives a great variety of tints, according as the colors of the
inferior cells are more or less distinctly exhibited through the superior
layers. By the action of acid and alkaline secretions, these substances

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 183

assume every variety of hue ascribed to the action of the same agents on
chromule.

The outward circumstances which tend to change the color of vegetable
organs are various. The action of light is one of the most efficient agents
in the production and change of colors, and it is not a little singular that
the power which is absolutely necessary to the production of color, in the
great majority of cases, should be the most powerful agent in destroying
it. We are all acquainted with the infiuence of light in blanching vegetable
substances when dead.

The change of the color of leaves in autumn, of fruit when ripening, of
some evergreen leaves during the winter, are phenomena whose explanation
has as yet baffled the most acute observers. The memoir of Mohl, above
quoted, leads us one step further than had before been taken in the expla-
nation of these common phenomena.

We can only give in few words the results to which his extended obser-
vations have led him. He concludes that these various changes are owing
to a derangement or suspension of functions of the organs of nutrition.
This point he strengthens by the consideration that the puncture of an
insect will cause an organ to pass through all the steps to maturity, giving
all the hues belonging to its species, whether of fruit or leaves. Also, the
cold of autumn and winter produces a similar derangement ; although the
agent is different, yet the result is the same. Many evergreen leaves
become tinged with red in winter from the influence of cold, but, with the
return of summer, assume their accustomed greenness ; also, the leaves
of the extremities of the branches being most exposed to atmospheric
influences are changed to red, while those nearer the trunk continue green.
If one half of a leaf be protected from the cold it will remain green, while
the other half will change to red. But in the case of fruit, heat is the
agent in producing similar effects to those above ascribed to mechanical
injury and cold.

Much of the importance attached to flowers by people generally, is
owing to the orders they exhale. The rose has long been cultivated by
amateurs, no less for its grateful fragrance, than for its beauties of form
and color ; and those which combine these properties, are the most favored
objects of the florist's care. The cause of the odors of plants, is, no
doubt, the disengagement of a volatile oil, which, in some cases, is easily
obtained, and made subservient to the use of man ; in others it entirely
eludes every effort to confine or preserve it, being as evanescent as the
light, which is the agent of its production.

184 THE FLORIST AND

Odors are distinguished into permanent, fugitive, and intermittent. Per-
manent odors are such as are enclosed in the tissues of the wood and bark
of plants in a concentrated form; and either from being but slightly
volatile, or contained in close vesicles which prevent exhalation, they
remain for a long time, giving to the organs in which they are contained
their peculiar odor. There is probably no part of a vegetable absolutely
destitute of permanent odor. Every variety of wood, under certain cir-
cumstances, exhibits it. Some, nearly scentless otherwise, become strongly
odorous when rubbed or heated. The Pine, Oak, and Beech, are examples
of this kind. Others are odorous for a long time after being cut, under
ordinary circumstances ; of this kind are the Rosewood of Teneriffe, the
Cedar and Sandal-wood (Santalum album) of India, so highly esteemed
in Eastern Asia for its fragrance. The slight volatility of the oil, to
which these species owe their odors, and the compactness of the wood,
enable them ^constantly to yield their fragrance for an indefinite length
of time.

Others are fragrant when first cut, but lose this property in a very short
time, as is the case with the Cinnamon and Cassia, the fragrant substances
being volatile, and the wood porous, both causes concurring to render the
wood in a short time scentless.

Fugitive odors are such as belong to organs of short duration, as the
leaves and flowers, and we meet with them in the greatest abundance, and
most frequently in the latter. All are aware that the flower is the source
whence flows the delightful fragrance of the flower garden ; and during the
season of the bloom of our Magnolias, the woods and swamps are perfumed
by the odor of their flowers. It must have been remarked also, by the
most heedless observer, that the odor of the garden, or forest of Magnolias,
is much more pungent at some parts of the day than at others. During
the direct action of the mid-day sun, little or no perfume is perceptible
from either ; but as the sun sinks to the horizon, and the dews begin to
settle on the leaves, the evening air becomes scented with their fragrance.
The odor accumulates during the night, and as the dew begins to exhale
with the rising sun, it is borne on the air in much greater abundance than
at any other hour. Thus these silent worshippers pour forth their incense
in a morning sacrifice to Him who extends to them, as to all, his kind
regards.

A shower produces similar efi"eets. Who has not enjoyed the grateful odor
exhaled from the flowers of the field or garden after a summer's shower ?

The causes of these apparently great emissions of odor, under the cir-

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 185

cumstances mentioned, and the apparent suspension of their emission
have not been satisfactorily determined. It has been supposed that the
heat of mid-day, under the direct action of the sun's rays, produces so
much evaporation as to empty, in a great measure, the cells, and that the
stomatas close and prevent the emission of the odorous substance; again,
it is thought that the excessive evaporation would carry off more of
the odors than the plant could generate, and thus the supply becomes
exhausted during these hours of heat, and it requires the coolness of even-
ings, when aqueous evaporation is nearly suspended, for the plant to regain
its supply ; but a more probable reason (were we disposed to attribute it to
any one alone) we conceive to be, that the excessive heat of mid-day, pro-
ducing upward currents of vapor, the ordorous emissions are carried with
them beyond our notice ; but, as night comes on, the currents cease, and
the fragrant exhalations accumulate near the earth. A shower plainly
would produce the same effect, cooling the surface of the earth, and
reversing, in some degree, the atmospheric currents.

In the production of odors the direct light of the sun is necessary ;
hence, after long rains, flowers become comparatively scentless-; and this
circumstance adds weight to the reason given above, and shows that the
emission, so far from depending on the absence of light, as would seem at
first view, from the fact of their becoming more sensible at the approach of
night, and ceasing as the light becomes more intense ; a long continuance
of even cloudy weather prevents the emission entirely, shoAving that the
generation of the fragrant fluid is dependent, as above observed, on the
direct action of the sun's rays. And it is well known, that most of the
secretions of Phanerogamous vegetables require the same action, and the
more volatile products especially. From the extreme volatility of the
substances producing fugitive smells, and the necessity of the direct solar
rays for their secretion, we could not be led to suppose that any loss of the
secretions could take place under the influence of the mid-day sun, or that
they could be detained in tissues which were continually emitting watery
exhalations.

Intermittent odors are such as are given off at particular times, and the
plants which yield them are entirely destitute of such odors at other times.
Many Orchidacese are perfectly scentless during the day, but during the
night are fragrant. A remarkable example of this class of odors is
exhibited by the Cacalia septentrionalis, which, when exposed to the direct
rays of the sun, emits a strong aromatic odor, but by merely interposing
a screen between it and the sun, its fragrance vanishes. The Cereus gives

186 THE FLOKIST AND

out flashes or puffs of perfume, as its intermittent odors are called.
" Morren observed in one case of a cut-flower, that it gave off puffs of odor
every half hour, from 8 to 12 P. M., when it faded, and the smell became
very slight. On another occasion, when the flower was left on the plant, it
began to expand at 6 P. M., when the first fragrance was perceptible in
the greenhouse. A quarter of an hour afterward the first puff of odor
took place, after a rapid motion of the calyx ; in rather less than a second
quarter of an hour, another powerful emanation of fragrance took place ;
by 35 minutes past 6 the flower was completely open ; and at a quarter to 7
the odor of the calyx was the strongest, but modified by the petals ; after this
time the emanations of odor took place at the same periods as before."

Many other cases might be cited of sing"lar phenomena, properly
coming under this head. The odors in these cases are certainly developed
or emitted on different principles, in the different cases under this variety.
The explanations are entirely beyond our reach. There seems to be a
specific action of the organs for the production of the odors, as there can
be no glands discovered by which the odorous fluid is secreted. That the
odorous fluid is emitted as it is generated, which of course must be periodi-
cally, is rendered probable by the fact, that emission of carbonic acid took
place in the same manner from the flower of the Cereus.

Odors have also been classed, from their similarity of effect on the human
system, into aromatic, stimulating, penetrating, and sweet, but the diffi-
culty of fixing definite limits to the application of these terms renders the
classification of little use.

Schubler and Kohler have made many interesting observations on odors
as well as colors. They found that, of the various colors of flowers, some
are more commonly odoriferous than others, and that some colors are more
commonly agreeable than others.

Color. No. of Species. Odoriferous. Agreeable. Disagreeable.

White, 1193 187 175 12

Yellow, 951 75 61 14

Eed, ...... 923 85 76 9

Blue, 594 31 23 7

Violet, .307 23 17 6

Green, ' 153 12 10 2

Orange, ; .... 50 3 1 2

Brown, 18 1 0 1

The white m^jst odoriferous and agreeable, the yellow and brown njiost dis-
agreeable.— Prof. Darhy.

HORTICULTUEAL JOURNAL. 187

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The regular stated meeting of this association was held on Tuesday
evening, June 19th, at Concert Hall. The plants and flowers were of great
beauty, and the display charming.

The following premiums were awarded : —

By the Committee on Plants and Flowers. — Grhxinias, eight plants, eight
varieties — for the best, to Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A. Fahnes-
tock ; for-jthe second best, to Alexander Burnett, gardener to H. P. McKean.
Fuc/isias, eight plants, eight varieties — for the best, to Thomas Robertson,
gardener to B. A. Fahnestock ; for the second best, to Mark Hill, gardener
to M. W. Baldwin ; for the third best, to John Pollock, gardener to James
Dundas. Lilies, three plants — for the best, to Robert Buist. Carnation —
for best American seedling, to H. A. Dreer. herbaceous Cut Mowers —
for the best, to Thomas Meehan. Collection of twelve i^lcints — for the best,
to Robert Buist ; for the second best, to Thomas Robertson, gardener to B.
A. Fahnestock. Collection of six plants — for the best, to J. J. Habermehl,
gardener to John Lambert. Specimen Plant — for the best Medinilla mag-
nifica, to Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A. Fahnestock ; for the second
best, the Rhyncospernum Jasminoides, to Robert Buist. I^eiv Plants — for
Fuchsia Duchess of Lancaster, $2, to Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A.
Fahnestock. Table Pesign — for the second best, to A. L. Felton. Basket
of Cut Flowers — for the best, to Jerome Graff, gardener to C. Cope ; for
the second best, to J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert ; of indige-
nous flowers, to Thomas Meehan. Bouquets — for the best, to H. A. Dreer ;
for the second best, to Jerome Graff, gardener to C. Cope. Si^eeial Pre-
miums— $3 to John Pollock, gardener to James Dundas, for Seedling
Gloxinias ; |3 for Orchids, &c., to the same ; $1 for a collection of Stocks,
to H. A. Dreer ; $1 for Seedling Verbenas, to the same ; ^2 for fine Roses,
&c., to Robert Buist. The Committee noticed a very fine Seedling green-
edged Petunia, grown by A. C. Pracht, of Baltimore.

By the Committee on Fruits. — Strawberries, two quarts — for the best, to
A. L. Felton; for the second best, to Robert Buist. Cherries, three
pounds — for the best, to Samuel Cooper ; for the second best, to G. W.
Earl. Currants — for the best white and the best red, to Isaac B. Baxter,
special premium. Grrapes, pot culture — for three very fine bunches of Black
Hamburg and Frankenthal, two dollars, to Wm. Thompson, gardener to J.
Tucker ; for three bunches of Black Hamburg, &c., to Mark Hill, gardener

188 THE FLOEIST AND

to M. W. Baldwin ; for three bunches of white varieties, two dollars to the
same. For a collection of nectarines and peaches, two dollars to Jerome
Graff, gardener to C. Cope. For very fine Moyamensing strawberries, one
dollar to A. L. Felton, and for superior Pennsylvania strawberries, one
dollar to Gr. Schmitz.

By the Committee on Vegetables. — Display by a market gardener, for
the best, to A. L. Felton. Special premiums of two dollars, for a very fine
collection of cauliflowers, to John Riley, gardener at Insane Asylum ; one
dollar for two dishes of mushrooms, to Alexander Burnett, gardener to H.
Pratt M'Kean.

MARYLAND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Mr. Editor : We have just held our semi-annual exhibition, which lasted
three days. The following premiums were awarded : —

Vegetables, — For the best Beets, premium to William Lusby ; second best,
D. K. Lusby. Carrots — To E. Whittemore & Bro. Early York Cabbage —
To D. K. Lusby ; second best, E. Whittemore &Bro. ; third best, I. Register.
Best Display — To E. Whittemore & Bro.; second best, D. K. Lusby;
third best, I. Register. Scarlet Radishes — To I. Register; second best,
D. K. Lusby. Lettuce, best — To D. K. Lusby; second best, Whittemore &
Bro. Turnips — To William M. Lusby. Cauliflowers — To I. Standenmeyer,
gardener to George Brown, Esq. Cucumbers — To the same. Peas — To
Henry Lossing. Strawberries — To L. A. Englehart, gardener to A. C.
Pracht, Esq. ; second best, S. Feast & Sons. Best Display — To L. A. Engle-
hart. Cherries, best — To S. Feast & Sons ; discretionary, to Mr. Mohler.
Gooseberries, best to William Baily ; second best, Mr. Berger.

Pelargoniums. — Best, to John Feast ; second best, to Henry Gebhart,
gardener to Mr. Harrison ; third best, James Pentland ; discretionary, to
Obadiah Kemp.

Calceolarias. — To I. Standenmeyer : second best, to A. Englehart.

Orchids. — To John Feast.

Peonys. — To Edward Fouke ; second best, to James Pentland.

Roses. — 24 bloom, to A. Englehart ; second best, James Pentland ;
third best, R. Halliday ; 12 cut Roses, to Mr. Lamping.

Display of^Cut Flowers. — To N. Popplein.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 189

Best seedling Roses, to James Pentland. Best Roses, in pots, to tlie
same.

Verbenas. — Best, to James Pentland ; second best, to A. Englehart.

Pansies. — To A. Engelhart.

Petunias. — To A. Engelhart. Seedling Petunia, to J. Standenmeyer.

Best 24 Cf-reenhouse Plants. — To John Feast ; second best, to Samuel
Feast & Sons.

Best 12 Gfreenhouse Plants, in bloom. — To John Feast, for

Eugenia Ugni, Erica ampullacea,

Dictyanthus Pavonii, Rhodostemma gardenioides,

Begonia Xanthina, Stephanotis floribunda,

Puya Altensteinii, Epidendrum cochleatum,

Cyrtanthera magnifica, Mussaenda frondosa.

Rhyncospernum jasminoides,
Sand Bouquet. — To S. Feast & Sons ; second best, R. Halliday ; third
best, George Myers. ^

Pesigns. — Best, to A. Englehart, for table — James Pentland ; second
best, S. Feast & Sons ; third best, Edward Foulke.

Basket of Flowers. — Best, to S. Feast & Sons; second best, to Miss
Baker ; third best, Miss E. Feast. Wreath, to Miss E. Feast.
Cloth of Cfold Roses. — To Mr. Graves.

Fuchsias. — Best, to John Feast ; second best, to S. Feast & Sons. Best
Display, to James Clarke, gardener to Mr. Whitely.

JOHN FEAST,
Corresponding Secretary.
Baltimore, June 21, 1855.

CORRECT LABELS.

In the report of premiums awarded at a late exhibition at the Royal
Botanic Gardens, London, we were gratified at seeing certificates awarded
for " correct labels." Here is a matter worth the attention of our horticultu-
ral societies. Let certificates or honorable mention or a small premium be
given to the gardener or nurseryman, whose names are correctly spelt.
There is great room for improvement in this respect, in catalogues also, as
a general rule, the blunders are frequent and ridiculous. They are however,
more rare with continental than with British or Irish gardeners.

190 THE FLORIST AND

REMEDY AGAINST MILDEW.

A question was asked some time since by one of our correspondents,
whether sulphuret of potash* had ever been employed as a remedy against
Mildew ? We cannot say whether it has been so applied in this country,
but it has been used in France successfully, and if an acid be added, a fine
preciptate of sulphur is deposited from the aqueous solution upon the leaves
of the Vine or Hop, in a manner which would not be effected by any dred-
ging.f It is, in fact, when properly diluted, precisely what is used very
frequently for baths in certain cutaneous disorders. In all such applica-
tions the main question is, how does the sulphur act ? This is evidently a
point of great importance, and from the insolubility of sulphur under
ordinary circumstances, not very easy of explanation.

We do not profess to be in a condition to answer this satisfactorily, but
the observations we have to offer may induce some one to attend a little
more closely to the matter. Sulphur has evidently a very prejudicial effect
on fungi, as it has indeed on all organic beings if exposed to it in a pro-
per form, and in a suflBcient degree of concentration. The use of sulphur
in cutaneous disorders, whether arising from insects or vegetable parasites ;
the effect of hypo-sulphite of soda on the curious vegetable products known
by the name of Sarcina, from its resemblance to little corded bales, which
is so common in cancerous affections of the human stomach ; and the de-
structive power which it has over parasitic moulds, are all evidences of this
fact. One particular instance may perhaps afford a clue to its action over
the latter. It is well ^known that if a bundle of brimstone matches be
burnt in a barrel, the fermentation of wine when placed in that barrel will
be arrested. Now, the fumes of brimstone consist of sulphurous acid, and
as the whole body of the wine placed in the cask is affected, the quantity
of the acid which is capable of arresting the growth of the yeast fungus,
must be almost infinitesimal. Now, if the leaves of plants infested with
mould are dusted with sulphur, though the sulphur is insoluble in water
and may be exposed to ordinary air for a long time without change, it is
very possible that the oxygen just separated from the foliage by the action
of light effecting the decomposition of carbonic acid, or arising from other

* We suppose by sulphuret of potash, or more properly sulphuret of potassium, is meant
what is known by chemists, under the name of liver of sulphur. This is not a definite sub-
stance, but consists of tersulphuret of potassium, hyposulphite of potash, and sulphuret of
potassium. *

J Sulphuretted hydrogen is erolved at the same time.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 191

chemical processes taking place within the plant, being in a nascent state,
may readily combine with a portion of the sulphur, and thus form sulphur-
ous acid, and still more in the application of a solution of sulphuret of
potash with the addition of an acid, where the sulphur is in the act of being
eliminated, and can combine at once, under the most favorable circum-
stances, with the nascent oxygen.

It would be easy for a good chemist to ascertain precisely whether sul-
phurous acid is really formed under such circumstances, or whether some
other combination of sulphur and oxygen is given out, and it would be doing
good service to the horticulturist to ascertain the point. When sulphur is
used to combat disease in the human frame, especially when applied inwardly,
more than one combination takes place, and a large portion of the substance,
when taken in a crude state, passes away unaltered. In its application to
the purposes of cultivation, it is likewise a small portion only, in all pro-
bability which is effectual ; and if the action could be precisely ascertained,
the results might be of great importance, in an economical point of view,
where it is used largely, as in Hop gardens. M. J. B. — G-ard. Chronicle.

PACKING BUDS AND GRAFTS.

We have on former occasions given directions on this subject, but have
observed among the packages of grafts occasionally received, indications that
the best modes are not well understood, even by some intelligent cultivators
of fine fruit, by whom errors are often committed.

Since the reduction of postage, the transmission of buds and grafts by
mail, has become a great convenience to fruit raisers and pomologists, and
the only difficulty is to put them up so that they shall carry long distances
with safety. The essential requisites, are to secure the moisture they con-
tain from evaporation, and to prevent bruising.

To prevent evaporation, it was formerly the custom to encase them in
muslin covered with a coating of grafting wax ; but this was found incon-
venient to apply and troublesome in removal. The writer therefore intro-
duced an improvement some fifteen years since, which has since been gen-
erally adopted throughout the country. This is to wrap the grafts in oil-
silk, selecting a piece large enough to cover them and to bend it up over the
ends, so as to bring it down air-tigJit on every part, by winding a fine thread
around it at very short intervals from end to end. This forms a complete
air-tight case, through which the moisture from the graft or buds cannot es-
cape ; and if well put up, grafts may be sent in this way across the Atlanti

192 THE FLORIST AND

without the slightest risk. Buds in summer, being greener and more suc-
culent, and the temperature being warmer, cannot be forwarded to such
great distances. Peach buds, and other kinds cut before the wood is well
ripened and hardened, should not remain in this condition longer than three
or four days ; but well ripened shoots of the pear and apple, near the close
of the season of growth, will continue uninjured for at least a fortnight.

To prevent bruising during the period of conveyance, cotton batting, or seve-
ral thicknesses of soft paper, should be placed outside the oil-silk wrapper.
A pomological friend, to whom we gave instructions some years since in
sending grafts, took the especial precaution of applying a coating of cotton
batting j^rs^ to the grafts, and then encased them in oil-cloth. The conse-
quence was that the dry cotton in immediate contact, absorbed the moisture
from the grafts, and on their arrival they were found as dry as if exposed
to a summer sun. In another instance, several thicknesses of soft paper
were used for a similar purpose, and with a like result. For this reason,
even the strip of paper containing the name, should be as small as possible ;
and it is still better to write it vrith a finely pointed soft pencil on a shaved
portion of the scion — or to cut notches as reference-numbers.

When large quantities of scions are sent by " Express," a different mode
of packing is to be adopted. "VVe have sometimes received them withered
and dried, without anything to preserve their moisture ; and in one instance
a bundle of grafts was sent ^o^th the leaves left on to keep them moist, but
instead of producing this result, the leaves had operated as evaporators (as
they always do,) and had pumped all the moisture out of the grafts, through
the leaf-stalks, and they were thoroughly seasoned when they came to hand.
The leaves should always be removed, and the grafts packed in alternate
layers with fine damp moss, and with a good moss-coating outside. Damp '
sawdust is a good substitute for moss, for packages of moderate size. The
packing should not be wet, as in this case it will cause the scions to become
water-soaked and tend to induce decay. Buds at mid-summer may be put
up in this way, and will keep without injury from three days to a week or
more according to the degree of maturity vrhich the wood has obtained. —
Qountry Cfentleman.

The Philadelphia Society for promoting Agriculture will hold their Fair
at Powelton, in next September. The Schedule of premiums is already
published, and embraces the usual awards for cattle, horses, agricultural
product* and machinery, &c.

Any person in want of a gardener or foreman, can hear of one by apply-
ing by note, to the Editor.

t

I

I

I

PRIMULA INVOLUCRATA Wall

SORGHUM SACCHARATUM Ilorttil.

HOETICULTUEAL JOURNAL. 193

SORGHUM SACCHARATUM.

We have received from a European correspondent, plates and a long
description (in the Flore des Serres) of this new variety of Sorghum Sac-
charatum, which is stated to be different from the ordinary broom-corn.
We make a few extracts from the article.

The sweet sorgho (Holcus saccharatus) is a new plant in our climate ;
but the trials which have been made, seem to assure the success of its culti-
vation on a large scale. The figures opposite represent the plant. One
of the figures represents the height (2m. 14 — 7 feet) which t he plant attains
in the neighborhood of Paris when in flower. The other gives the thickness
of the cane in its natural size, and in the third the form of the spike of this,
called the black seeded variety.

The sorgho of which we speak, is that which made part of the collection
which M. de Montigny, then Consul to China, sent to the minister of agri-
culture. This plant was designated as the sugar cane of the north of
China. Seeds were distributed to various agriculturists ; M. Vilmorin, at
Paris, and others, made successful experiments. We have three stalks
which M. de France sent us, and which we have submitted to analysis.
This gentleman wrote as follows : — " It is three years since I received the
seeds of this plant, with others, coming from the north of China, which
were sent me by the Geographical Society, — it was called the sugar cane
of the north of China. I gathered at first a few stalks only, and I saw
that it was not a sugar cane, but a sorghum not differing from the ordinary
one which we cultivate for the purpose of making brooms with the panicle,
except in its juice, which was more sweet ; by the form of its panicle, which
is less flexible, and by the color of its seed, which is black.

An apothecary of Castres, to whom I gave it, discovered that the juice
which he extracted from it, gave a syrup identical with that made by
putting in water twelve per cent, of crystalized sugar. I had gathered a
sufficient quantity of the seed, which I sowed the year following, but the
season was such that my cultivation did not succeed, and the plants did not
come to maturity ; the juice had a green taste, and was not very sweet.
Notwithstanding this misfortune, and taking into consideration the unfavor-
able state of the summer, I sowed it again this summer and succeeded very
well."

M. Vilmorin has made cider from the sorghum. In one experiment,
made with 200 kilogrammes of stalks, the product in juice was 55 per cent.
13

194 THE FLORIST AND

of the weiglit of stalks. This quantity, says M. Vilmorin, would give the
enormous result of 200 hectolitres (6000 galls.) to each hectare, (2.47 acres.)
The analysis of the stalk gives the following result :

Water, ....... 65.88

Sugar, crystalizable and uncrystalizable, . . 18.64

Nitrogenous matters, . . . . . 1.06

Eesinous, fatty and coloring matters, . . 0.50

■ Woody matters, ..... 15.41

Salts, soluble in water, (sulphates and chlorides,) . 0.27

Insoluble salts, . . . . . . 0.23

Silica, . . . . . . 0.01

100.00

This plant, which seems to be about to take an important place in the
list of our iiidustrial plants, was, as well as the Chinese igname, (Dioscorea)
introduced by M. de Montigny, and made part of the same package sent
to the Geographical Society. We are yet in doubt as to the botanical
name by which it should be called. That of Holcus saccharatus is evidently
an error, not that the plant is not the same as that known hereto-
fore under that name, but because the portion of that genus characterized
by the presence of a little male peduncled spikelet, by the side of each
fertile spike has been rejected far from the genus HolcusmXo that of Andro-
pogon or Sorghum. In all probability the species Sorghum vulgare [Andro-
pogon Sorghum) ought t6 contain as varieties, the plant under considera-
tion, as well as the Andropogon Oafra, hieolor, &c., of Kunth. A recent
work, as yet unpublished, by M. Wray, which he has been so kind as to
send us, mentions, on the south-west coast of Caffraria, fifteen varieties of
this plant, and we have recognized in a collection of seeds from Abyssinia,
sent to the Museum in 1840 by M. d'Abadie, and which contained thirty
species or varieties of sorghum, some plants to which our attention has been
drawn, especially by the sweet flavor of their stalks. Here are many causes
of confusion, and at the same time the elements of a critical work on which,
at our request, our co-laborer, M. Greenland, is occupied. I hope that his
researches, aided by the comparative cultivation of several common varie-
ties, can enable us to refer these varieties to the botanical tj'^pes from which
they are derived. Meanwhile, the name of Holcus saccharatus must be
adopted provisionally, since, although evidently inexact as to generic
characters, it has the advantage of being known and of never having been
; applied to other plants.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 195

The plant which -was the subject of the experiments of Pietro Arduino,
at Florence, in 1766, for the manufacture of sugar, belonged probably to
the same species, but must have been a different variety, as the seeds are
represented as of a clear brown, while those of the newly imported plant
are black, and identical with the black sorghum of old collections.

The sorghum saccharatum shoots up generally from 2 to 3 metres (6 to
9 feet) in rich soil, with erect stalks, with flexible reclining leaves; its
habits are very similar to that of maize, but more elegant. It forms gene-
rally a tuft composed of six or eight stalks, terminated by a conical or
rather serrate panicle, green at first, then passing by violet shades into the
deep purple of ripeness.

DWARFING FRUIT TREES.

Most of us have heard of the Chinese modes of dwarfing trees ; how they
have vines bearing fine branches of grapes almost in thimbles, or tales very
near as marvellous. One thing, however, is certain : fruit trees can be so
treated, as to induce them to bear an abundance of fine fruit in a very small
space of ground, though perhaps we cannot quite compete with John China-
man in the perfection of the art.

But may we not inquire whether we have not much room for progress ?
Whether we may not om-selves improve on our own practice, without seek-
ing to borrow from the Celestials ? I think we can, we want but a few
practical pomologists to set about the work in right earnest, — men of
patience and perseverance; men who can plan out and execute original
experiments of their own, instead of borrowing their ideas and practices
from other men and other climes. We have many such amongst us, could
we but induce them to have sufficient confidence in themselves to go alone.
Will they attempt it ?

At present we have dwarf cherries, dwarf apples, and divarf pears,
rendered such by being grafted or worked on weak growing varieties or
species. The mahaleb forms the stock for the dwarf cherry ; the quince,
sometimes tTie mountain ash, and occasionally the thorn (Croetagus) for the
pear ; and the Doucain and Paradise apples for the stronger growers of the
same species.

Whether the latter is as perfect as we might desire, I am unable just
now to say, but one thing is certain, that " dwarf apples" on these stocks,
though they have long been so cultivated, have never become very popular ;
and popularity is not after all such a decidedly bad test of merit, as our

196 THE FLORIST AND

philosophers often teach us it is. !"ut with the pear we have clearly many-
disadvantages in the stocks we employ to dwarf it. On the thorn it is too
short-lived, and the quince and the mountain ash are so very liable to be
destroyed by frosts, that the culture of dwarf pears on them, in some dis-
tricts, is a continual chase after a rainbow, at the end of which, as our
nurses told us, we should find bags of gold when we got there. All praise
to those good tempered souls, who still continue to laugh at the enemy,
and cherish the fond hope that they will yet discover some effectual mode
of making him considerably uncomfortable in his favorite strongholds ; but
while we would not have them relax one iota of their efforts to grow dwarf
pears in spite of the borer, we may turn aside for a moment to inquire
whether all our material for stocks have been exhausted with these three
items ; whether we have nothing equal to them in their dwarfing proper-
ties, and at the same time free from their diseases or dangers ? Might not
the pear be successfully worked on the Pyrus jafonica? It might not,
perhaps, do so well in England, because I think it could not be very abun-
dantly propagated, at least it is their custom to strike them with bottom
heat. Here they readily root without any such assistance, and could
probably be raised in any quantities. All that has to be ascertained is,
whether the buds of pears would take well on it, and whether they would
prove as long-lived on it as on the quince.

With respect to the first question, I may as well state that I have myself
failed this season in producing a union between them, which ill success,
however, I attribute to the bad condition of the stocks, which had been
transplanted so recently as the past spring. Should any of the readers of
the Florist have a few healthy stocks on hand, there will yet be time enough
this season to try the experiment.

There are probably many other species in the same genus or natural
order, which might do as well as this one ; I give the Pyrus japonica merely
to suggest one instance that may answer.

The mahaleb is a first rate stock for the cherry, so far as health and
facility of union is concerned, and it is every day increasing in its popu-
larity ; but it must not be denied, that it is not dwarf enough in its nature
to meet our wants. In fact the mahaleb here, unlike the mahaleb in Eng-
land or France, grows to be a tree little inferior in size to the cultivated
cherry itself. I have seen cherries on this stock grow ten feet from the
bud the first season, though to do them justice they do not grow near so
fast in succeeding years. Would not the English bird cherry [Oerasus
padus) make a preferable stock ? They will take readily on it ; at least a

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 197

bud of Belle de Ohoisy, wliich I inserted into one I had a year ago, grew
very well.

The bird cherry does not grow near so fast as our own wild cherry, [Q.
serotina) and after many years of careful culture, still remains but a very
small tree. Perhaps the Q. Virgmiana, a dwarfer plant than either of the
other tAvo, might be successfully employed to advantage, and probably
several other kinds ; all my object in the present article being to call atten-
tion to a worthy subject, rather than to point out the means which may
lead to its attainment.

Cerasus.

ON THE BEGONIA PARVIFOLIA, OR SMALL-LEAVED
ELEPHANT'S EAR.

We like this plant for several reasons. It has a compact habit, is an
abundant flowerer over a long period, (the whole summer,) while it takes up
important room, to keep it through the winter. To those who dislike to
see their houses naked in summer, we take it the last two recommendations
are not the least. This interesting but singular family of plants is almost
a collection in itself, and we are continually adding to its now numerous
species and varieties.

Our present subject is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, has small
angulated oblique leaves, and flowers in great profusion, of a bluish white.
It is sometimes called B. Jioribunda, and semperflorens.

Like all the bulbous kinds, the stem dies down after flowering, and merely
requires keeping moderately dry and cool during winter. In spring, as
early as means will permit, they may be started into growth by heat and
moisture, when they will soon commence putting forth flowers, and continue
without intermission, except to increase in abundance, till towards fall, when
they begin to assume a yellow tint, and the old stems ultimately die, more
or less, down to the bulb. To be seen at its greatest beauty, it requires a
stove in the early part of its growth, but will make respectable plants, with
care, even in a greenhouse, especially if started in a hotbed.

PROPAGATION AND CULTURE.
Cuttings strike readily in sandy soil, any time before August, but we
prefer doing it as early as possible. If placed under a bell-glass, or small
frame, in the stove or hotbed, when struck, pot into 3-inch pots, and
encourage in a warm, moist, growing atmosphere.

198 THE FLORIST AND

The Begonia is a very rapid grower, under good treatment, and requires
liberal potting to succeed. These cuttings will require two shifts the first
season, the last being into a 7-inch pot. This should not be done after
midsummer, and they should occupy the stove where there is one, till a fort-
night after the last shift, when they will be better if turned into the green-
house. As soon as a yellowness begins to show itself, water should be gra-
dually withheld, and when the flowering is over, set away under the stage
on its side, for the winter. In the beginning of March, if there is a stove,
cut back the decayed shoots and place the plants on the front shelf, to start
into growth. When nicely started, take away some of the old soil, and re-
pot into the same or a size larger pot, and as the growth proceeds, water
more liberally. When fairly at work, repot into three sizes larger pots,
using good drainage to prevent the soil from becoming sour. When grown
four or six inches, procure some small sticks and pegs, and spread out the
shoots as wide as possible ; they will soon fill up, and form nice plants. By
the first of June, these old plants may be transferred to the greenhouse,
kept cool and shaded, by frequent syringing and wetting the floor of the
house, and canvass awnings, to keep ofi" the burning rays of the sun. The
plant will bear cutting freely for cut flowers.

The soil may be turfy loam, leaf mould, and peat, equal parts, with one-
fourth of white or river sand.

When well done it makes a very pretty summer exhibition plant.

TiLGATE.

A WORD FOR AN INJURED TREE.

In Australia it is, or was the custom, when a criminal was about to be
executed, to invite any person in the crowd in attendance, to speak a good
word for the doomed man, if they knew of any good action he had done
in his time. Bad indeed was he of whom no good could be related, and seldom
was it that the privilege was not assumed by some friend or other. I take
pleasure in recalling this to mind, because it affords a good precedent for my
course on the present occasion, for I appear now as the friend of another
criminal in the arboricultural line ; not by invitation, to be sure, but I trust
not the less legally. My friend is doomed. His fate is sealed. From New
York to Washington he is dragged into public disgrace, and every literary
cur through the country follows in the trail, barking out its " Down with
him, down with him." So great is the existing feeling, that I dare not yet

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 199

mention his name, without prejudice to his cause. An article would scarcely
be read that ventured a word in favor of such a tree, and the very mention
of its name would likely enough induce the reader to turn to the next page.
This must not be.

The tree I write of is condemned as a nuisance in our public streets and
squares, because, in the first place, it is said to have a very disagreeable odor
when in blossom, and in the second place, because it sometimes throws up
suckers. I shall show first, that when it exhibits these faults, it is through
a want of knowledge on the part of its cultivators ; and secondly, that it
possesses claims as a street tree superior to any tree we have. This is a
bold position, but we shall see that it is a substantial one.

In the beginning, be it remembered that the odor of flowers proceed from
the stamens, or from glands or vessels belonging to, or in company with the
male organs of plants. The female flowers of the Willow have no smell
while the male catkins are frequently deliciously fragrant. If we wanted
a fragrant "VYillow, we should not plant a female, nor vice versa, (learned
lingo is sometimes convenient.) If you plant male trees, knowing, or in-
diff"erent to the fact of their fragrance not being of the highest order, and
that female trees have not a distant relation to an unpleasant class of smells,
whose is the fault ? The tree or yours? Why, yours, to be sure, yet you
vent your malediction on the whole stock. You must learn to be more dis-
criminating in your judgments, less partial in your zeal.

"But the tree in question throws up suckers." This is an outcry raised
against many trees. Is there no cause for this phenomenon ? Most assu-
redly. I transplanted a Persimmon tree last spring, — ^a tree of some size.
It didn't live, though. Persimmons seldom do. No sooner, however, was the
sap fairly dry in the trunk, tha,n suckers came out in abundance as far as
the roots extended. The Persimmon does not throw out suckers under ordi-
nary circumstances. V/hy it did so on the present occasion is evident.
From similar observations, I deduce the principle that suckering in trees is
induced by external causes so acting on the tree as to check the flow of sap
upward through the trunk or stem, and which sap therefore seeks an outlet
direct from the main roots, in the shape of suckers. There are very few
trees indeed, which will not throw up suckers under these circumstances,
and trees with an abundance of sap vessels in the wood are especially liable.
A severe winter may kill the wood — it may not kill it outright, only some
of the vessels may be injured, and although growth goes on the succeeding
season, it may be far from vigorous, — or it may have been severely pruned,
or it may have met with injury in many other ways, — these and all are com-
prised under the term external causes.

200 THE FLORIST AND

The Beech, Sour Gum, Catalpa, Poplars, Plums, Pears, Sassafras, as
well as the Ailanthus, for it is of this unfortunate tree I venture to write,
all throw up suckers, and from the same causes.

The Ailanthus is not alone in its misfortunes ; but it has been made to
bear the whole of the disgrace. I can point to numerous venerable speci-
mens which have never, throughout the long period of their existence, put
out one sucker. But in such cases, they are planted in situations where
they do not grow with such vigor as to have large watery shoots for a hard
frost to rupture, are not hacked or "pruned up," nor planted in situations
where the spade or the hoe may continually be severing or bruising the
roots. Did you ever see an Ailanthus sucker up in the streets ? Occa-
sionally, perhaps, — but how often ? The time is coming, gentlemen of the
press, when you will be in extacies at the shade some Ailanthus will throw
around your editorial sanctums. Your long trusted Maples have abused
your confideace, and are rapidly playing the Schuyler dodge over you.
" Averunculators" and pole pruners speak to your pockets, and laborers and
step-ladders tell a sadder Maple story every spring. Lindens you won't
have, and Sugar Maples and Tulip trees won't serve you ; while the Horse
Chestnut and Norway Maples are too slow in assuaging your sufferings.
You will have to fall back on the Ailanthus, — the fast growing, dense
headed, insect and smoke defying Ailanthus. Not the striking male flow-
ered variety ; but the scentless and beautiful female Ailanthus.

The female Ailanthus is a most beautiful tree. Its long clusters of golden
fruit in contrast to its deep green foliage, is not to be excelled in the agree-
able feelings it is capable of exciting in one not prejudiced against the very
name. Even had I to spend one whole half hour every year in drawing up
a few suckers, I should feel amply repaid by three months of such pleasing
sights of them as I often pass.

A Spartan king tried to stop drunkenness by ordering all the vines in
his dominions to be rooted up ; but where Lycurgus often trod, the grape
vine still grows, and notwithstanding the mighty efforts of our Herculean
writers, the Ailanthus will still live to wave over their graves.

HORTUS.

REVIEW OF THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS DIERVILLA.*
The genus Weigela, established by Thunberg, differs nothing from the
genus Dier^dlla, created long before by Tournefort, except in characters
so slight and often inconstant, that the most celebrated botanists no longer

* Carriere, in Revue Horticole.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 201

consider them distinct. We put ourselves on their side, not only on account
of their authority in such matters, but also for the interest of horticulture,
and that long established names shall not be changed. It is, however, with
these two groups as with others : they comprise species w^ith large and
with small flowers, and in consequence some are precious, and others of
value to the horticultural trader. We will pass them successively in review,
dividing them into two groups, in the first of which we will place the
species already introduced, and in the second those only known through
the beautiful plates of the Flora japonica of Siebold and Zuccarini.

INTRODUCED SPECIES OR VARIETIES.

1. Diervilla canadensis, WiWd. D. lutea, Pursh; D. Tournefortii, Michx. ;
Lonicera Diervilla, L. — A not very tall shrub, the stalk rather angular,
reclining ; leaves nearly heart shaped, oblong acuminate, dentate, glabrous ;
flowers yellow, small, axillary, appearing in May. Habitat Canada and
the United States.

2. D. japonica, R. Br. DO. ; D. versicolor, Sieb. k Zucc. ; Weigela
jajtonica, Thunb. ; W. rosea, Lindl. et Hort. — This charming shrub, already
considerably diff"used in gardens, which it ornaments so well with its hand-
some flowers of deep or light rose, is so well known, that we need not
describe it here. It grows on the mountains and in the valleys of Japan,
where it is also cultivated in gardens ; it flowers in April and May.

3. D. amabilis. Planch. W. amabilis, Hort. — A bushy shrub, like all its
congeners : branches slightly velvety, leaves oval oblong, sharpened to an
obtuse point, long, narrowed at the base into a short petiole, toothed
unequally at the edges, green, smooth above, paler beneath, smooth and
with a few very short hairs on the nerves ; flower with 5-divided calyx,
divisions linear, equal, ovary oblong, cohering with the calyx, with two
pointed linear bracts at the base ; corolla funnel-shaped, tapering towards
the base, enlarging gradually for about a third of its length, then suddenly
dilated and swelling out, presenting angles corresponding to the divisions of
the lobes of the corolla. These latter are rather oval, rounded at the top,
of a fresh, deep rose color; stamens five, inserted at the bottom of the
tube of the corolla, which is velvety in this part, and to which they cohere
for one-half or two-thirds of their length, filaments threadlike, cylindrical ;
anthers attached to the filaments by the back, oblong, ciliate while young,
obtuse at the summit ; style filiform, as long or a little longer than the
stamens, terminated by a hemispherical white stigma, finely hairy ; country
unknown. It is a question whether the D. amabilis is a distinct species, or

202 THE FLORIST AND

onlj a variety of the D. rosea. It is difficult to give an answer, now that
our plant is young, and cannot be entirely characterized.

It is therefore with reserve that we mention the D. amabilis. If we can
judge by our own specimen, it promises to be very free flowering, for this
one which flowered at Messrs. Thibaut & Keteleer's, No. 146 Rue de
Charonne, in July last, (1853,) is but now (December, 1853), but ten inches
high ; each of its three branches terminating in a panicle of flowers. It
difi"ers also from the primitive type in its time of flowering ; but, upon this
point, we cannot yet speak decidedly, for our plant is budded, and every
one knows the influence which cultivation and difierent modes of propaga-
tion exercise.

4. I). Middendorfiana — Weigela Middendorfiana, Hort. — A shrub
much resembling in habit and leaves the D. 7'osea. Flowers axillary, in
groups of three or four, as in the former species, of a sulphur yellow, at
least as lai;ge as those of D. rosea. To many persons the existence of
D. Middendorfiana is still doubtful ; it is not so for us who have seen it in
flower. We can therefore assert that it has yellow flowers. This species,
introduced in 1850, is still rare, on account of its difficult preservation.
Imported several times previously into England and France, it has always
died, and it is difficult to procm^e it ; nevertheless, we have seen some small
specimens at Mr. Pele's, and at Thibaut & Keteleer's, but their delicate
state did not permit us to expect much from them. Introduced to us by
Russia, this plant would appear to have come from the elevated and cold
regions of Siberia and Mongolia. This habitat seems to indicate that it
requires the open ground and free air, in order to vegetate properly; but
as until now we have always done just the opposite, and have always placed
it in the hot-honse to propagate, we can see our error. We should, on the
contrary, procure it either in the autumn, after growth has ceased, or in
spring, before the sap flows, and to plant in heath soil, in a rather shady
situation, as is done with Rhododendrons. Perhaps, with these precautions,
the multiplication of J). Middendorfiana may have some chance of success.
Let us hope that it may take its place in our shrubberies by the side of its
congeners, where it will produce a fine efiect with its yellow flowers, which
will contrast well with those of D. rosea.

SPECIES NOT INTKODUCED.

B. fiorihunda, Sieb. and Zucc. Japanese name, Mumesahi utsugi, or
utsugi with plum-like leaves, Kaempf. — This is a shrub, two to two-and-a
half feet high, with the habit of Lonicera xylosteum ; branches slender.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 203

those "which flower often reclining, covered with a fine cinereous bark, often
green while young, finely velvety, pubescent; leaves pendant, opposite,
decussate, short petioled, often sessile in the vigorous barren branches,
rounded or wedge-shape at the base, oval, or oval-oblong, acuminate, pointed
narrowly serrulate to the summit, velvety, pubescent on each side ; flowers
at the end of the lateral branches, or commencing in the axil of the leaves,
and forming a kind of corymb of variable size ; peduncles velvety, com-
pressed, four angled, with two acuminate, velvety, very entire bracts ; calyx
persistent, gamosepalous, tube cohering with the ovary, slender, cylindrical,
velvety ; limb with five equal divisions, linear pointed, very entire, velvety
and ciliate outside, nearly glabrous within; corolla gamopetalous, purple,
caducous, funnel-shaped, inserted at the summit of the tube of the calyx,
glabrous within, entirely pubescent without ; tube cylindrical, dilated from
the base and clariform, erect ; limb of five spreading divisions, and some-
what unequal, the upper being rather larger, the two lower smaller, all oval,
obtuse, very entire, ciliate ; capsule cylindrical, velvety, traversed longitu-
dinally by two furrows, crowned at the summit by the superior part of the
calyx bilocular, two valved.

This shrub inhabits the highest mountains of Japan, where it is very
common; its flowers, which are numerous, purple, very showy, and very
variable in size, appear in May and June.

6. D. hortensis, Sieb. and Zucc, with red flowers. Japanese name, Beni-
saki Utsugi, or Utsugi with red flowers; Sirosaki, or Utsugi with white
flowers. — A shrub about two feet high ; branches opposite, decussate, cylin-
drical, or slightly angular, very velvety, especially while young ; bark thin,
ashy gray, or brownish ; leaves opposite decussate, short petioled, rounded,
pubescent above, oboval, or oblong, acuminate, or long pointed, finely
dentate, crepelate ; the oldest velvety, downy, whitish underneath, variable
in size ; flowers axillary, terminating short branches ; peduncles very erect,
nearly four angled, with two very velvety pointed bracts at the base ; calyx
gamosepalous velvety, with a tube slender, cylindrical, or slightly angular ;
corolla gamopetalous, funnel-shaped, superior, springing from the mouth of
the calyx, red or white, tube slender, cylindrical until the middle, then
angular, slightly downy outside, glabrous within ; limb in five regular divi-
sions, spreading, oval, obtuses, very entire, nearly equal; stamens five,
spreading, adherent to the tube of the corolla, alternating with its divi-
sions; ovary cohering with the tube of the calyx, oblong, cylindrical,
bilocular, each cell many seeded ; style filiform, smooth, as long or a little
longer than the stamens ; stigma orbicular, thick, fleshy, peltate above.

204 THE FLORIST AND

convex and slightly hairy, concave beneath; capsule crowned with the
extremity of the persistent tube of the calyx, oblong, cylindrical, marked
longitudinally with a not very deep furrow, bilocular, two valved, brownish.
This species inhabits China and Corea ; it flowers in May. This will be a
precious acquisition, as its variety with white flowers will enable us to make
masses of difi'erent colors with the same species.

7. D. grandiflora, Sieb. and Zucc; D. corceensis, D. C; Weigela eorceensis
Thunb.; Sorei Ufsugi, Kaempf. Japanese name, Hahome Utsugi, or Ut-
sugi from the Hakome mountains ; Chinese, Kintai-kwa.

Shrub from one and a half to two feet high, resembling in habit Loydcera
alpigena. Branches spreading; the older ones rounded, covered with a
light gray, thin bark ; the younger four angled, green glabrous. Leaves
opposite, decussate, pendant, with petioles, nearly cylindrical, channeled
above, slightly dilated at the base, ciliate oboval ; more rarely broadly
elliptic, long 'Cuspidate and finely serrulate to the top, with unequally dis-
tant serratures ; smooth above, rather pubescent beneath with short ap-
pressed hairs. Flowers terminating the short branches, axillary and form-
ing a kind of dichotomous corymb. Peduncle generally erect compressed,
four-angled, furnished at the top with two linear-lanceolate bracts, acumi-
nate, ciliate, very entire, often foliaceous, variable in size. Minor pedun-
cles bibracteolate, three flowered. Calyx gamosepalous, persistent; tube
slender, cylindrical or slightly angular, coherent to the ovary, smooth limb
with 5 linear pointed divisions, entire, equal, green, lightly ciliate. Corolla
gamopetalous, springing from the extremity of the tube of the calyx, larger
than in most of its congeners, green before opening, afterward of a more
or less deep rose, glabrous, tube erect, cylindrical at the base, dilating
towards the top and nearly four-angled, limb with five projecting divisions,
two of which are rather smaller, entire, glabrous. Stamens five, spread-
ing, disposed as in the other species, filaments thread shaped, equal. Ovary
coherent with the calyx, two or rarely three-celled. Capsule cylindrical or
subclavate, marked with two or three shallow furrows.

What especially distinguishes this species, is the size and quantity of its
flowers, its large limber leaves, of a bright green, with ciliate petioles, as
well as the changing color of its flowers, a character which has also been
remarked by Kaempfer; they are greenish before opening, later rose col-
ored, finally carmine red. It grows in the empire of Japan, on the moun-
tains about two thousand feet above the sea level ; it delights in the ravines
and the valleys, where it is often found in large masses. It flowers in May.

HORTICULTUKAL JOURNAL 205

8. Z>. florida^ Sieb. and Zucc. Alph. D. C. Calysphyrum floridum,
Bunge.

One flowered peduncles very short, calyx urceolate in five lanceolate gla-
brous divisions. Corolla funnel-sbaped, purple, limb deeply divided in five
regular parts. Leaves nearly sessile, oval-oblong, narrowed at each end,
acuminate, serrulate, pubescent.

This species grows in the high valleys of southern China, where it attains
an altitude of two and a half to three feet ; its habit resembles that of a
Cornus. What will make it a valuable ornament to our gardens is, that
while flowering, which takes place in May, its flowers change color several
times, and that in a superior manner to D. grandiflora.

In Japan, the physicians rank this among the poisonous plants, no doubt
on account of its emetic qualities, which it possesses in common with many
Lonicere^.

9. D. paucijiora, Weigela paueiflora, D. C. (not of Bunge.) Leaves
oval or oboval ; short-petioled, suddenly acuminate, entire at the base and
at the top, the rest denticulate. Branches, nerves and petioles velvety.
Flowers axillary and terminal, solitary or ternate, bracts linear, lanceo-
late, shorter than the calyx tube. Calyx with a limb in five acuminate, den-
tale divisions. Limb of the corolla three times larger than that of the calyx.
Northern China.

There has also, for some years, been cultivated in gardens, under the
name of Weigela splendens, another species of Diervilla, resembling in
habit D. canadensis of Willdenow ; it seems to be distinguished from it by
rather narrower leaves, lanceolate-elliptic, finely denticulate, longer acumi-
nate, and by the middle nerve, which, in place of being red beneath as in
D. canadensis, is nearly green. Its origin is unknown.

Cultivation. — All these handsome shrubs are useful as ornaments to our
gardens. In fact, originating in cold and temperate countries, and in con-
sequence very hardy, they present all the conditions which we require in
our ornamental shrubs. Their propagation is very easy ; it is done either
by layering, or by means of cuttings placed under a bell glass, or in a
shady place in the open ground. They suff"er from stagnant moisture ;
a light, dry and warm soil, more sandy than clayey, seems to suit them
perfectly. When these plants are too vigorous, they flower very little : but
this circumstance makes them fit for cultivation in pots or boxes, and per-
mits us, in making their flowering sure, to have during most of the year
an ornamental plant for the market.

206 THE FLORIST AND

HYBRIDS.

The crosses which appeared on the Exhibition tables of the Horticultural
Society last month, excited unusual attention, especially the beautiful Prin-
cess Royal Rhododendron from Messrs. Veitch. So many other striking
results of muling are also now beginning to appear in gardens, that the
process is likely to be carried on with more activity than ever. It therefore
seems to be worth while to consider whether recent examples throw any
new light upon the result that the operator has a right to anticipate from
his experiments.

Gr^rtner assures us that, in the course of his very numerous and much
varied experiments, he found that no certain result can be anticipated. The
late Dean of Manchester and others have believed, on the contrary, that upon
the whole the properties of the male plant will be most conspicuous in the
hybrid. To test the value of these opinions, we take the following eight
cases in which the history of the mule is known with certainty. For the
sake of brevity we venture here to employ the signs of sexes in use among
botanists, viz : cj for the male, and 9 for the female : —

1. Mule. Anemone vitif olio-japonic a. ^
c? Anemone vitifolia ; $ An. japonica.

Result. Flowers and hardiness of d ; color intermediate. A very
valuable variety.

2. Mule. Anemone japonico-vitifolia.'^

d' Anemone japonica ; ? A. vitifolia.

Result. Tenderness and ragged flower of c?. A worthless variety,
no longer cultivated.

3. Mule. Oereus speeiosissimo-crenatus.'^
d Cereus speciossissimus ; ? C. crenatus.

Result. Color of c? ; habit nearly of 9.

4. Mule. Aquilegia fragranti-ealifornioa.^

d Aquilegia fragrans ; <5 A. californica.

Result. Habit and flower of 9 ; color intermediate.

* N. B. Those marked -with an asterisk -were raised in the Garden of the Horticultural So-
ciety, ty Mr. tjeorge Gordon.

HORICULTURAL JOURNAL. 207

5. Mule. Rhododendron javanico-jasminijlorum, or Princess Royal.

& Rhod. javanicum ; ? R. jasminiflorum.

Result. Form of flower intermediate ; color derived from c? by the
separation and retention of its rose and the rejection of its yellow
(a very curious, and as far as we know, unique case). Leaves and
habit intermediate.

6. Mule, llatidirola RoezlL
cJ' Scheeria mexicana ; ? Gesnera Zebrina.

Result. Color derived from d^ ; whole habit and leaves from 9 .

7. Mule. Mandirola picturata.
c? Gesnera zebrina ; ? Achimenes mexicana.

Result. Inflorescence and flowers of &; leaves and color intermediate.

8. Mule. Begonia miniato-opuliflora.
c? Begonia miniata (fuchsioides) ; ? B. opuliflora.

Result. Inflorescence and color of d; leaves more those of 9.

In these instances, taken pei'fectly at random, it is evident that for the
most part the c? predominates, especially in JSTos. 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8 ; and this
supports Dean Herbert's views ; but in 3 and 6, the eflects of the 9 are
most conspicuous ; and in No. 5 the issue is nearly equalized; even here,
however, the color is derived from the c?, as also is the case of 1, 3, 4, 6,
8, and in a less conspicuous degree in the other cases. The most curious
result is that in both 6 and 7 Gesnera Zebrina overcame the peculiarities of
its consorts, whether used as cJ' or 9 . This points to a conclusion not yet
drawn, viz : that in some cases it is merely because of its inherent vigor of
constitution that a species prevails, and not because it is d".

Is it not worth the while of experienced hybridizers to endeavor to mul-
tiply this kind of evidence, and to endeavor to extract from it the general
facts which possibly lie concealed among the loose statements with which
alone in so many instances we now have to deal? Were that practicable,
muling would be reducible to system, and no longer remain, what it now
is, mere chance work. We throw out the suggestion for their consideration ;
especially for that of such ingenious experimentalists as our Isaac Ander-
sons, Trevor Clarkes, Gowens, Ingrams, and Yeitches. — Gardeners' Chro-
nicle.

/
2^8 THE FLORIST AND

TOADS. (BUFO VULGARIS.)

From the earliest recollection of the " oldest inhabitants," this little crea-
ture has been under the ban, a source of terror to every little Miss, an
object of disgust to maids and matrons, a by-word and term of reproach for
every old aunt and grandma in the land, who would never seek farther in
their vocabulary of opprobrious terms for a suitable name for any little
urchin, than to call him a "little nasty toad." Boys have made it their
sport, have pelted it with stones, pierced it through and through with sharp
sticks, substituted it in the place of a ball, upon a bat board, throwing it
high into the air, and exulting in its torture ; and even men in the field, hoeing
their crops, have been wont to rudely thrust it aside with their hoes, as a
useless reptile, wondering for what purpose such a loathsome object could
have been created. The toad has been accused of being a venomous rep-
tile, a fit object of dread, a poisoner of choice garden plants, deserving
banishment from every one's premises, and fit only to inhabit an uninha-
bitable morass or desert. The toad has, however, occasionally been brought
into respecta.ble notice by curiosity hunters, and newspaper paragraph
writers, whenever he has chanced to have been found in a torpid state in
the cavity of a rock, or in the trunk of a tree, in which cases, an antiquity
has been ascribed to it equal to that of Egyptian mummies, or perhaps set
down as of antediluvian origin. In this manner, poor toady has gone the
rounds of newspaper notoriety, not for any merit or value it might have
possessed, but as a matter of mere curiosity. But this poor and despised
creature has not been left entirely friendless, nor without an advocate.

Naturalists have placed him in the scale of usefulness where he belongs,
and have shown that he is not deserving the very many opprobriums that
have been heaped upon him.

To the gardener, the toad is a very useful assistant, as it devours a great
number of insects and worms that prey upon the plants. In the darkness of
the evening, the toad comes forth from its hiding-place, and commences its
work of extermination. Noiselessly it passes through the garden, regaling
itself upon the insects that have just begun their nocturnal work upon the
tender plants. No one but those who have observed the movements of this
little animal, can form any correct estimate of its usefulness. A few even-
ings since, I watched one a short time, and observed that in the space
of fifteen "minutes, it devoured some fifteen or twenty insects, of that
class too, that in the day time, lie concealed from the observation of the

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 209

birds, but at nigbt go forth in armies to carry on tbeir work of destruction,
to lay waste the gardener's toil. It would be a matter of economy for those
who till the ground, to provide the toad with a suitable place for retreat in
the day time, thus virtually saying to him : " my dear little fellow, I value
your services, and will do all I can for your comfort."

With proper appreciation for his services, and care for his preservation,
the toad will become quite domesticated, and will continue his valuable
work, for years, simply for his "board and lodging." Those who wan-
tonly destroy the toad, should be classed with those who kill harmless and
useful birds. — Ohio Farmer.

MONCECIOUS AND DICBOIOUS PLANTS.

Thinking that you might be interested in knowing that at the time the
Strawberry controversy was going on in the Pennsylvania Horticultural So-
ciety a similar subject was attracting attention on the banks of the Ganges, I
have copied part of an extract from a letter from C. J. Muller to Dr.
Hooker, dated Patna, October 28th, 1853, republished in the June number
of the Journal of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, from the Pharmaceutical Jour-
nal of October, 1854.

" The plants which have completely flowered, are, with the exception of
one, to all intents and purposes, monoecious, while all the botanical books I
have access to, make Cannabis strictly dioecious. The single plant which
appears to bear only female flowers, is not completely in flower yet. The
male flowers come last, and may yet appear, or I may have overlooked
them. You will be interested, I think, in examining the inflorescence, and
therefore I enclose some specimens. (They appear to be true Cannabis
Sativa. — Editor.) It is requisite to ascertain whether the Rajshahye plant
presents the same character, and I have therefore sent to Rajshahye for
specimens.

" You will perceive that this subject is curious, as bearing on the alleged
fertilization of female flowers of the dioecious class, in the absence of the
male plant ; for example, Coelbogyne, Lychnis dioi a, &c. If dicecious
plants have a tendency, under certain circumstances of soil and climate, to
become monoecious, the anomaly of fertilization in the absence of the male
plant is in a great measure removed. This remark rests, however, on the
assumption that Cannabis Indica, sativa, Ganja, and Bhang, are all identi-
cal, a point I think yet extremely doubtful ; though I can scarcely make up
14

y

210 THE FLOEIST AND

my mind to believe that Roxburgh, Ainslie, Wight, Griffith and Royle
could have failed to ascertain this, if there had been any specific difference.

" The female flowers greatly predominate in the specimens under my
observation. The anthers in the male flower are often less than five, but
are fully charged with pollen."

I forgot to mention at the commencement, that Dr. Muller was endeavor-
ing to trace the origin of the Ganja and Bhang, (which are used in India
as narcotic stimulants, I believe,) and that my object in copying this, was to
direct your attention to it, as the journals in question are rather out of
your line. I suppose you can see the Journal of Pharmacy at almost any
drug store. It is an excellent journal.

'■ OSAGE ORANGE TREES.

Mr. H. P. Byram, the editor of the Louisville Journal, writes to that
paper from Dayton, Ohio, under date of September 9th, 1854 :

"In the vicinity of this city, I saw some of the most perfect specimens
of the Osage Orange that I have ever before met with — more perfect, in-
deed, than I supposed nature could produce, even with all the aid that art
•and industry could lend her. The plants seem to withstand the blighting
efi"ects of this unusually dry season, better than any other species of vege-
tation. The leaves still present the most rich glossy green that characteri-
zes this plant in our most favorable seasons.

From a somewhat extensive acquaintance with the character of the Osage
Orange plant, I have often pronounced it the hedge plant of America, but
I had no idea of the degree of perfection to which I find it susceptible of
being trained in the hedge. The oldest of the hedges here now is about
four years. It is four feet high, and three feet broad at the base, and as
dense, compact and uniform from the ground to the top, as if it bad been
moulded by hand from some plastic material. My attendant remarked that
it was " so close at the bottom, that a snake could not find its way through
it." There were several other specimens in the same vicinity, from one to
two years old, all presenting the same beautiful appearance.

The great and only secret in producing this living American prairie
fence is, clean culture for four years, and a relentless, unsparing shearing,
from the period of setting the plants to the end of four years, and then to
maintain it in its proper form by semi-annual clippings. — Farm Journal.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 211

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Analytical Class Book of Botany, designed for Acadamies and private students :
in two Parts : Part I, Elements of Vegetable Structure and Physiology, by
Frances H. G-reen ; Part II, Systematic Botany, illustrated by a compendious
Flora of the Northern States, by Joseph W. Congdon, in cue vol., 4to., pp. 228
D. Appleton & Co., N. Y., 1855.

We have no personal knowledge of Mrs. Green, the authoress of Part
I. of the above book, and yet, now that we have read her work, it would
seem as if an acquaintance already existed. Such is the nearness of the
writer on a favorite subject, and her reader. They are like succeeding voya-
gers, who have made the same tour, climbed the same eminences, admired
the same landscapes, and criticised the same beautiful creations of art.
Moreover, the interest which one tourist feels in his predecessor and his
tour, is in proportion to the unfrequented beauty of their common route,
to its remoteness from the thronged channels of fashionable travel. Here,
too, the comparison holds, and unless we mistake, to it may be ascribed the
interest in the volume before us. For Botany, with all its fascinations, is
not yet fashionable. Its votaries are faithful, plodding, enthusiastic, but
few. The throng take another line, and pass by a different way. It is just
thirty years since an English author wrote, — and never poet or prophet
spake more truly :

What lore -with tranquil pleasure better fills
The mind, fair Botany! than thine !
, Thy paths

Retired, "with thy own flo-wers are ever strew'd ;
Thy own fresh garlands ever grace thy brow.
Where'er thy votaries thou leadest, — whether
Along the silent vale, or verdant lane ;
By hedge-row sheltered, or over the lone heath ;
Whether to rushy pool, green-mantled, or
Through the wild forest's thick-entangled maze ;
Whether by softly mui-m'ring brook, that bright
R.efiects its gay-enameled bank ; or 'long -
The rocky shore, dash'd by the foaming waves
Of ocean wide ; or up the steep ascent
Of rugged mountains, rising to the clouds ;
Still pleasure, profit, health, thy steps attend.

The pure heart pulsates with every measure of these lines, and responds
to every syllable of them, and thousands in city and country, imbued with
refined and hallowed taste, how they wish to understand Botany. How
they would like to study it, if they only had a good book.

212 THE FLORIST AND

Now, Mrs. Green seems to be fully aware of the wants of this class, for
she says in her preface :

"It is a remarkable fact, that, with all the beauty of flowers, and the
universal love of them which prevails in the world, the science of flowers
is one of the most unpopular — the driest and the dullest, in common
estimation — to which the attention of the student is ever called. But
there can be no intrinsic necessity of this. Objects which are externally
so beautiful, and which address themselves to the finest afiiections of the
soul, must, in their internal structure, their habits, and all the relations of
their beautiful life, present corresponding associations of beauty and love,
whenever true and familiar views can be obtained. An attempt is made in
the present series to disarm the science of at least a portion of those terrors,
with which it has been long invested, and to make it interesting and
attractive to the common mind."

Not only was our authoress aware of the want, but she set out with the
intention of removing it ; and we are sure, that, under all the circum-
stances, she has succeeded very well. Her stjde is easy and flowing, and
carries the reader along as smoothly as the exactness of description
demanded by the present state of Botany will admit ; and sometimes even
this exactness is made to yield to the desire for a graceful period, or for
pleasing imagery.

The arrangement of the book does not differ materially from that of the
excellent "Botanical Text Book" of Professor Gray, or the well prepared
preliminary treatise in Professor Alonzo Wood's Class Book. We are
gratified to find a chapter devoted to the subject of the " Geographical
distribution of Plants," by the study of which a comprehensiveness is given
to the science of Botany, and its association secured with Meteorology,
Geology, and Physical Geography. Speaking of the tropical portions of
Africa, Mrs. G. says :

" Here we find in abundance leguminous plants, Peppers, Passion-flowers
and Palms. Here the giant Baobab seems to stand still within the circling
thousands of his years, the lovely Date Palm ripens its grateful fruit, and
woos with its feathery foliage the hot breath of the desert, and the tender-
leaved Acacias, fixed in the arid soil, extract from the torrid sunbeams the
coloring of their golden flower."

In the same chapter, speaking of the partial distribution of plants, this
language is used :

"In a little cluster of islands, the Moluccas, the clove is found, and
nowhere else ; confined to a narrow girdle of the Andes flourish the race
of Peruvian-bark trees ; on three small islands of Africa the double cocoa-
nut tree ; in a little corner of Asia the tea shrub ; and almost within the

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 213

confines of a single mountain, still lives, though, in apparent decay, the
famous Cedar of Lebanon. Are these the remnants of numerous races
which in times past have been widely scattered, and now like certain races
of men are falling into decay, and disappearing from the earth?"

We are pleased to see so full a chapter on the " Economical Uses of
Plants ;" for although the young should be taught the true end of science,
which is to elevate man, to satisfy his innate and noble aspirations for the
refined, the abstruse, and the infinite, and to enable him by the solution of
nature's sublimest problems, to catch more of the spirit of their Divine
Author ; yet applied science has also its uses, and not the least of them is,
the attraction it possesses to grosser minds, who, viewing everything from
a utilitarian stand-point, are ultimately drawn, it may be insensibly, to
appreciate those higher delights which arise from the contemplation and
study of science as such. In the chapter now referred to, the uses of the
different portions of plants, root, stem, fruit, &c., are treated in an order
somewhat similar to that pursued in the Lectures on Botany before the
Franklin Institute.

That our authoress comprehends the importance of this division of her
subject, will appea,r from the following extract :

" In fine, it may be said that there is no art known among us, which
does not depend on the Vegetable World for its materials, in some form or
other, and there is no condition or circumstance of life which is not equally
dependent. Plants are the great chemists of the world; for by processes
which the most learned scholar in vain attempts to imitate, they transform
crude mineral matter into the elements of organic forms. They are the
FIRST WORKERS — the UNIVERSAL PROVIDERS. Stationed at the base of all
vital activity, they are continually extracting from the great granary of the
atmosphere the food of all living beings — the elementary and sustain-
ing PRINCIPLES OF LIFE."

Attractive as the work is, we cannot, however, regard it as exactly
adapted to school purposes. Occasional looseness of expression and intro-
duction of imagery, examples of which are given in the quotations above,
would seem to sustain this view. A good school-book on science is one of
the curiosities of literature, and the ability to write such a book is possessed
by very few. From the ignorance of most teachers on scientific subjects,
and from the practice of many American schools, where the text-book is
the main reliance of both teacher and taught, it is compelled to perform
double duty. It ought then of course to be well prepared, sentences care-
fully worded, clear, short and pithy, each expressing a distinct idea, and
excluding, when practicable, all possibility of even wilful misconstruction.

214 THE FLORIST AND

In Botany we have no such book ; nor, as far as we have seen, in any
other department of science, save perhaps Natural Philosophy, where
" Parker's Elements" presents an approximation to our standard, worthy of
being studied by all writers of scientific " class-books for academies and
common schools."

The wood cuts . are well selected. We do not, however, recognize the
claimed advantage of devoting special pages to them. It were certainly
better and more convenient to insert them among the letter-press, and then
the necessity for publishing the book in an unwieldy quarto form would
be superseded.

The second part, or Systematic Botany, by Joseph "W. Congdbn, occupies
the last one hundred and twenty pages of the work. It contains descrip-
tions of the wild and many of the cultivated plants of New York and the
Eastern States, but is not so valuable for this latitude as the Floras of
Gray, Darlington, and Wood. The arrangement is after the natural
system, and an attempt is made to group the orders, but no definition of
the characters common to the members of each group is given. Each of
the important orders is illustrated by a good wood cut of one or more of
the prominent genera composing it. We would suggest, however, to pub-
lishers and authors, that to incur the expense of a wood cut, giving the
general physiognomy of a flowering twig of the Rose, or Honeysuckle, or
the stem of a Pink, is unnecessary. Their prominent external characters
are familiar to all observers. Let the cuts of the orders to which those
plants belong, represent the floral structure, a simple section, or, better
still, a complete dissection of a flower of each of the genera'aforesaid, and
while the cost will be about the same, the value of the illustration will be
universally recognized. The paper and typography is excellent, of course ;
Messrs. Appleton being the publishers. A. L. K.

THE CACTUS FAMILY.*

Among the numerous families which compose the yegetable kingdom,
there is none which presents at the same time such anomalous, such strange,
and at the same time so very curious forms, as the family of Cacti. An
observer, acccustomed to the elegant regularity of the vegetable forms of
our forests^ to the luxuriance and noble dimensions of those of tropical

* From the Manual of the Amateur of Cacti, by Charles Lemaire.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 215

forests, is struck with astonisliment and admiration, when, quitting these,
he finds himself suddenly in the immense plains of Brazil, Peru, &c., in the
rocky regions of Mexico, placed before these vast cones, the enormous
spheres, with sides bristling with long sharp spines, which some of the
Echinocacti present, or these immense bushes or superb candelebras,
which are formed by the Cerei and the Opuntias, or when he stumbles
against vast tufts of Mammillarias : Cacti, all ornamented with an immense
profusion of flowers mostly splendid, and with fruits often sweet and
refreshing.

In these tropical forests also, where Heaven has showered all the
splendors, all the magnificent things of creation, we can admire, grouped
and hanging, the forks of aged trees, mixed with showy orchids, the sin-
gular Epiphylla with flat and jointed stalks, the elegant Phyllocacti with
flat-winged stalks, all with splendid flowers, as well as the Hariotas with
slender threadshaped stems, and little coquettishly spreading flowers. The
family of Cacti, in fine, present united a singularity of form, an eccentric
growth, and a richness of flowers, which we can scarcely find equalled in
all the rest of the vegetable kingdom.

America is the exclusive country of the Cacti. They are met with on
this continent, from the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude to the forty-
fifth of south latitude, and even beyond that. They grow on the shore,
in the plains, on the mountains, where some of them approach the regions
of eternal snow.

Notwithstanding the strangeness and curious appearance of the Cacti,
and the beauty and showiness of their flowers, or even the enormous size
to which some of them attain, this beautiful group has neverthless been
long unknown to botanists, yet none merited more the attention or the care
of amateurs. One of the species, however, one of the most insignificant,
in an ornamental point of view, was introduced into Europe about the time
of the discovery of the new continent, and was from that time rapidly
naturalized in all the south of Europe and the north of Africa, where the
Spaniards transported it, in company with the Agave Americana. Now,
in this last country, immense tracts of land and entire hills are covered
with these two plants.

It is worthy of remark, that the introduction of the Opuntia fieus-indica
was unique, and that the fierce conquerors of Mexico and of Peru have
chosen this species, to the exclusion of so many others much more remark-
able for the beauty of their shape and their flowers. In importing this
Opuntia and this Agave, was it not that they wished to import at the same

216 THE FLORIST AND

time the drinks which the Aborigines made from these two plants ? This
seems to us probable enough : but history is silent on the subject.

The Cacti did not begin to be known until the end of the seventeenth
century. Towards this time the Spaniard, Hernandez ; the German, Her-
mann, and especially the indefatigable Father Plumier, a French Jesuit
missionary, described and figured several species. Tournefort afterwards
created the genera Opuntia and Meloeactus, (Melocarduus of some authors ;)
Father Plumier, the genus JPercsJcia, [Peireiscia;) Hermann, the genus
EpipJiyllum, for the species with flat and winged stems. Linnd, later, (in
1737,) united these three genera in one, under the name of Cactus, in which
he comprised the few species known in his time. In the state of the science
at this time, this was the wisest arrangement that could have been adopted.
From this time until the end of the eighteenth century, we only know of
Miller who was occupied with Cacti, of which he_ described several new
species in his. Gardener's Dictionary, (1797.)

It was reserved for the botanists of the nineteenth century to throw a
great light upon this group of plants. Haworth (1812-1819, Synoi^s. plant,
succulent, et Suppl.,) recapitulated the works of his predecessors in this
family, and described some plants ; then a Crowd of interesting works on
the same subject succeeded each other, from the Prince de Salm, Messrs.
Otto, Link, Lehmann, the elder De Candolle, Martins, Zuccarini, &c.

From 1839, De Candolle published in the Archives of the Museum of
Natural History, an excellent memoir (in 4to. with twenty-one plates,) on
the family of Cacti, and made known, at the same time, forty new species.
But it is especially from 1837 and 1838, that the knowledge, so to speak, of
Cacti, dates with us.

At this time, (1837,) a French merchant named Deschamps, with the
object of making a speculation, of which he had no cause to repent, sent in
two shipments an immense quantity of Cactus, (three hundred boxes,)
among which it was easy to distinguish a hundred entirely new species, and
all the more interesting, as the most of them offered entirely new forms.
We can mention, as particularly interesting, the EcMnocactus Mirhelii,
coptonogonus, eelectrocanthus, erinaceus, &c. : the Mammillaria erecta,
impexicoma, doNchocentra, &c.

Such an importation made simultaneously in England, in Belgium, in
France and in Germany, could not fail to attract the attention of horti-
culturists and amateurs. From this time many amateurs commenced to'
form collecfions. To increase these, a second introduction of Cactus,
composed of species still more interesting, of types entirely new with

HORICULTURAL JOURNAL. 217

regard to form, took place a little after into Belgium, to a very distin-
guislied amateur of Brussels. All these plants had been collected in
Mexico by M. Goleotti, a young and learned naturalist traveller, to whom
all parts of natural history are indebted for a crowd of novelties. In the
first rank figured AstropJiytum my7'iostigma, Anhalonium prismaticum^
EeMnocactus hexaedropJiorus, aulaeoganus, 2Ject{niferus, &c., Mammillaria
spJiaerotricha, rJiapidacantha, oothele, &c. All these plants, purchased at
a great expense by a newly converted but very distinguished amateur,
endowed with the sacred fire, {odi jjrofanum vulgus,) w"ere with the greatest
kindness placed at our disposition, and successively described by us with
care in two works, which appeared under his auspices in 1838 and 1839.

While on our part we were occupied with this work, M. Scheidweiler,
Professor of Botany in the Institute of M. Vandermaelen, of Brussels,
described some coming from the same invoice, and published them in the
Bulletin of the Academy of Brussels, and in the Horticulteur Beige (1838.)
In the second of our works, we attempted a trial of classification based on
the general forms of the plants, and on their natural affinities. While
profiting by the works of our predecessors, we were able, (thanks to the
abundant riches which the two importations of which we have just spoken
furnished,) to enlarge the field which was opened to us, and open new
routes, and improve the old ones.

We must not omit here to speak of a remarkable and as complete a
work, as the time in which it was WTitten would permit, which is due to
Dr. Pfeiffer. A year before the appearance of our first work on the Cacti,
appeared the Enumeratio diagnostica Cactearum hucusque cognitarum of
the botanist just named. In this work, the author inserted all the plants
known up to his time, with the description which authora had given them,
and added to them those of which he had particular knowledge. Unfor-
tunately, whether because he wanted a point of comparison, or because he
had no large collections to consult, or could not procure the necessary
works, he inserted the descriptions of authors whose works had preceded
his, without commenting upon them, or illuminating them by the light of
comparative synonymy.

We must not be too hasty in reproaching the author with this apparent
negligence, of which we have rendered ourselves culpable, and for the same
reasons. It is because it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to have at
the same time, in the same place, or even separate, a complete library and
collection of Cactaceae. But, for our part, we know none such in any part
of France at this time.

218 THE FLORIST AND

PRIMULA INVOLUCRATA, Wall.
Primulaceae.

Char. Gener. — Calyx sub campanulatus v. tubulosus plus minus pro-
funde 5-dentatus vel etiam 5-fidus. Corolla hypocrateriraorpha vel infun-
dibuliformis, limbo 5-fido, lobis plerumque emarginatis, fauce ad limbum
dilatata, tubo tereti calycem aequante. aut superante. Stamina inclusa.
Filamenta brevissima. Antherae saepe acuminatae. Ovarium globosum
aut ovato-globosum. Ovula plurima peltatim ampbitropha. Capsula ovata
5-valvis, valvulis integris aut bifidis apice tantum dehis-centibus, seminibus
minimis numerosis.

Herbae foliis plerumque radicalibus, scapo simpUci, floribus umbellatis,
involucratis rarius verticillatis^ saepissime speciosis.

Char. Specif. — P. efarinosa, foliis tenuibus laevibus ovatis remote den-
ticulatis glaberrimis obtusis longe petiolatis, scapo erecto foliis multo
longiore, iijvolucri pauci (3?), flori mox pedicellis brevioris, mox illos super-
antis foliolis subaequalibus lanceolatis obtusis glabris basi longe appendicu-
latis, calycis tubulosi elongati tubum aequantis 5-costati, glabri, 5-dentati,
lacinii brevibus pubescenti-ciliatis, obtusiusculis corollae infundibuliformis,
lobis obcordatis emarginatis. Wall.

The plant wliich we figure is a hardy alpine perennial discovered some
years ago by Dr. Wallich. It is a native of India, where it was found
growing 11,500 feet above the level of the sea. The first plants of it known
in England were raised from seed in the Horticultural Society's Garden, in
London. " It attains a height of six inches, flowers from March to May,
and sometimes a second time during the growing season." The flowers are
sweet scented. It requires a treatment similar to that given to the
Auricula.

PRUNING.

I have lately noticed some of my neighbors, with jacknife, handsaw and
hatchet in hand, attacking their fruit trees as though they were enemies
whom it was their purpose to wound and mutilate and disable by all means
in their power. After the battle has been fought I have seen the ground
covered with branches, and in some cases with heads and trunks lying scat-
tered in all directions around the scathed and bleeding trees, that remain
like wounded and maimed soldiers, after a hard fought conflict. And the
trophies of the victory thus obtained are carried off by the whole cart loads

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 219

in the shape of sound, healthy sprouts and branches, covered with leaf and
fruit-bud, and consigned to the "wood-pile.

It seems to me, sir, that these good neighbors of mine are trying an
experiment to see how much injury they can inflict upon their trees, without
destroying their lives. When the Inquisitors stretch a heretic upon the
rack, they place a surgeon by his side, with his finger upon the pulse, to
decide when the torture has been carried to the limits of human endurance.
But not so with our tree-trimmers. They seem to think that there is no
limit to the endurance of vegetable life. This subject has often been
referred to in your paper, and the evil consequences of such a course have
been frequently pointed out. But the fact that this practice still conti-
nues, shows that not enough has yet been said. " Line upon line and pre-
cept upon precept," seems to be the only way in which truth can be fixed in
the public mind. If those who pursue this course will watch their trees
carefully, and observe the efiects of their treatment for two or three years,
I think they will be satisfied that it is not only useless, but highly injurious.
When the trees are trimmed in March, April and May, as soon as the warm
weather comes on, and the sap presses into and distends the sap vessels, and
runs-^down and blackens and poisons the bark, and causes it to crack and
separate from the underlying alburnum, and thus efiectually prevent the
healing of the wound, gangrene and death of a portion of the wood neces-
sarily follow. Where several such wounds are made in a tree, its whole
constitution will soon become impaired. It ceases to grow, and in a few
years droops and dies.

Trees that are trimmed the least are generally found to be the most vigor-
ous, and to develope the best formed and most beautiful heads. Now and
then, a limb that is putting forth in an inconvenient direction, or in a direc-
tion which will injure the symmetry of the head, should be taken away. A
limb that is shooting out more vigorously than the rest, may be shortened,
and when two limbs are chafing each other, one may be removed. Shoots
that grow from the trunk, will generally die or cease to groAV, when nature
has no further service for them to perform. The idea of cutting out the
whole central portion of an apple tree, to let in the sun, is wholly erroneous.
The tree is thus deprived of a large portion of its lungs, as well as of many
of its best bearing branches. In our climate the fruit, so far from requiring
the direct rays of the scorching sun in midsummer, requires to be protected
from its rays by the foliage which nature has provided. The directions
given in English books for the cultivation of fruit, are adapted to the moist
and cloudy atmosphere of England. The attempt to apply them to the

220 THE FLORIST AND

cultivation of fruit in our climate, has led to the adoption of much erro-
neous practice.

The best time for general pruning is a mooted question among intel-
ligent men. But my own belief is that the proper time, in this climate at
least, is in June and July, when the leaves have attained their full size, and
are in full health and vigor, and are elaborating an abundance of sap. In
this state, a fresh wound will commence healing at once. New bark is
rapidly formed to cover the wound. It is the descending sap from which
the new bark as well as all the other tissues of the tree is formed. When
this sap, properly elaborated in the leaves, is not furnished in the formative
vessels, no new growth of any kind is effected. Hence it is only when the
leaves are in a condition to perform their proper office, that the new growth
necessary to effect the healing of a wound can be accomplished. J. R. —
New England Farmer.

A NEW VEGETABLE.

The first substantial result of the Gadsden treaty purchase from Mexico,
is the promise of a vegetable known as "Ammabroma Sonorse," or the
Sand Food of Sonora, which is said to abound in the acquired territory.
It is described as a parasitic plant, with a large and fleshy root. It is cooked
by roasting on hot coals, and it much resembles the sweet potato, having a
great deal of saccharine matter in it. It may also be dried and used for
the table, and it is in this way alone we can hope to taste it, for Professor
Torrey, who has examined it, thinks it cannot be grown out of Sonora,
unless the root to which it attaches itself can also be transplanted.

For the benefit of scientific readers, we add that Professor Torrej^, as
the result of his examination of the Ammabroma, finds it to constitute " a
new genus of the small group or family, represented by the little known and
anomalous Carollaphyllum of Kunth and the Pliolisma of Nuttall ; in the
floral structure and the scales more like the latter, from which it is distin-
guished by its woolly plumose calyx, and its singular cythiaform inflo-
rescence." These are hard words to swallow, but Mr. A. B. Gray, who has
tried the vegetable, found it not at all hard to take, and thinks that it may
become as much of a favorite on the table as the sweet potato or asparagus.
It is for this great prospective vegetable that the United States Govern-
ment has paid ten millions of dollars, and we hope hereafter there will be
no further question of the wisdom of our diplomac3^ — Pennsylvania Farm
Journal.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 221

DICENTRA SPECTABILIS.

" Honor to whom honor is due." We see several complimentary com-
munications in the Horticulturist, about the figure of the above plant and
the great credit the publisher deserves for its introduction.

It may be well for us to say, that in May, 1852, at least two years ear-
lier, the Florist published a very good figure of this plant, then a new one.

NEW ROSE— ISABELLA GREY.

The Yellow Rose of which blooms were shown at a meeting of the Penn-
sylvania Horticultural Society, under this name, is certainly the finest of
the roses of that color which have been raised in this country. It is a Koi-
sette of fine shape, tea-scented, and the color is deeper than that of Chro-
matilla, Solfature or Augusta. Having been presented by Mr. Jas. Ritchie
of this city, with several blooms of it, we had an opportunity of seeing it by
daylight, when it appeared of course to greater advantage. It is, we repeat
by far the best yellow rose out.

HORTICULTURAL NOVELTY.

The Agricultural branch of the Patent Ofiice has taken steps to procure
seeds of the bunya-bunya, a tree of the fir genus, which grows in Australia
and bears a cone nearly two feet in diameter, filled with seed the size of an
olive, and of flavor more rich and delicate than that of the pine apple.

There have recently been imported from France the cuttings of several
varieties of the prune, which have been distributed by the department, in
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Northern New York, Michigan, Wiscon-
sin, Minnesota, and several points on the Allegheny mountains, to be en-
grafted on the common plum tree. — Farm Journal.

The Practical Fruit, Flower, and Vegetable Gardener's Companion. By Patrick
Neill, LL.D., F.R.S.E., &c. Adapted to the United States, by Gr. Emer-
son, M. D. New York : C M. Saxton & Co. Price il.25

We have received a copy of this work, which appears to be a very useful
one. The field seems to us, however, to be rather too large for the size of
the book.

222 THE FLORIST AND

PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE.

Stated Meeting, August 1, 1855. — Vice President Clement in the
chair.

Mr. C. H. Muirhead, of Philadelphia, was elected a resident member.
Four propositions for resident membership were received.

Committee of Arrangement of the Exhibition reported having authorized
the early enclosing of the grounds at Powelton, the erection of tents, stalls
and shedding. Applications for space had already been received from
contributors in this and adjoining States. A desire that the Fair should be
every way worthy of Philadelphia, as a great agricultural and manufac-
turing centre, pervaded the entire community. Proposals for the exclusive
privilege of opening restaurants on the grounds had been submitted to the
committee by several responsible parties in the city, but neither had as yet
been accepted.

The report was accepted, and the committee were instructed to advertise
proposals for the privilege of opening restaurants.

A member present ofl'ered a hundred dollars more than was received for
the privilege last year, and was satisfied that at that price he would clear a
thousand dollars.

Mr. A. S. Roberts presented a number of copies of the last Agricultural
Report of the Patent Office, and sundry packages of seeds recently received
by him for the Society from said office.

Mr. Isaac B. Baxter exhibited specimens of seedling Apricots of three
varieties: — "Moor Bush," "Muscht," and "Baxter's Seedling, No. 1."

Dr. G. Emerson called attention to the condition of the recent oats crop.
In Delaware it was less than the average. In Kent county, and especially
in New Castle county, this was the case. Here the loss was attributable
to the attacks of an insect which entered the heads of the plants just
before ripening, and caused the oats to " shatter." He had known the loss
from this cause to equal three hundred bushels in thirty acres, or ten
bushels to the acre. When the sheaves were tied up with the worms, they
became quite offensive to the smell, and were rejected by horses. The
worms were nearly an inch long, and called by some the "army worm,"
because they somewhat resembled it, and the eggs hatched out about the
same time. Dr G. had been led by a hurried examination to regard the
two insect^s as quite distinct.

Mr. C. W. Harrison had also observed his oats to be very much shattered
out ; so much so, that not more than three-fourths of a crop would be

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 223

secured. The grain had been carefully cut with a scythe, and the shatter-
ing had taken place not uniformly, but in spots over the field. In clearing
up after some sheaves which had lain upon the barn floor, he observed a
large number of worms.

Mr. Isaac Newton ascribed the shattering not to the attacks of an insect,
but to alternate showers and hot sun, by which the grain was beaten down
and lodged, and subjected to an atmosphere of warm, confined vapor. Oats
always ripened unequally, and this would account for the shattering in
spots.

Dr. A. L. Elwyn inquired if the experience of the recent harvest had
settled opinions as to the merits and demerits of the various reaping
and mowing machines. The employment of these machines was rapidly
becoming universal throughout our country. The number manufactured
and the sums realized from their sale were enormous.

Mr. Harrison had continued the use of Ketchum's machines, and with
increased satisfaction. Ketchum's " Improved" he had had opportunities
of observing. The improvements were very decided, as by them the knives
were in no case lifted out of the plane of vibration, and they could at once
be thrown in and out of gear. He was not satisfied that it was advan-
tageous to make the frame and finger-bar of iron. The knives cut closer
to the ground, but the treraulousness of the machine was increased. He
acknowledged that if the machine delivered the cut grass and grain at the
side, instead of the rear, it would be more valuable.

Mr. S. C. Willets thought the rear delivery a capital objection to any
mower and reaper, as none but an experienced and skilful attendant could
effectually rake off at the side, and clear the ground for the return of the
machine. With M'Cormick's this service w^as unnecessary. It had a side
delivery.

Dr. Emerson desired to form an idea of the comparative yield of hay
this season. No doubt the crop was quite short.

Dr. Elwyn stated that the average crop in Chester county might be put
down as one and a half tons to the acre. In ordinary seasons, from two to
two and a half tons were realized.

Mr. Newton regarded the experience of the present season as fraught
with valuable instruction. Good farming had generally secured good crops,
but careless and neglectful farmers had been most severely punished for
their neglect by poor returns. He had endeavored to cultivate and manure
freely, and his yield of hay was from two and a quarter to two and half
tons to the acre. Clover, however, had fared badly.

2.24 THE FLORIST AND

Mr. Roberts thought that the moral of the year naight be found in the
failure of the grass. The clover had been thrown up by the severe frosts
and subsequent thaws. Low grounds had suffered most, both in timothy
and clover, and this despite the drought of last year. Deep cultivation
and good drainage would remedy this.

Mr. Harrison thought the failure in grass fully twenty-five per cent. He
believed that last winter was more severe on crops than any within the
memory of the oldest member present. There had been little or no snow.
The Delaware near his farm (Torresdale) had been frozen over at three
different times. Clover was a tap-rooted plant, and the low.er portion being-
hard frozen while the upper was thawed, had caused its destruction. From
this even the best cultivation could not save it.

Mr. Newton had recently seen most marked benefit result from the
spring harrowing of winter wheat, on lands on the Potomac river, below
Washington. The entire field had been manured with guano, at the rate of
two hundred pounds to the acre. A portion of the field had been har-
rowed, and on this the crop was so much more luxuriant than on the other,
that he would have supposed it alone had received manure. The soil was a
stiff loam.

Mr. Willets had seen similar benefits from harrowing wheat lands on the
light soil of Burlington county, New Jersey.

Mr. Dennis Kelly had observed in Ireland the good effects of harrowing
oat lands when rain shortly followed, but a repetition of the operation next
year, not succeeded by rain, had signally failed.

Dr. Emerson said that a well cultivated and manured soil protected
plants from the effects of both frost and drought. The improved yield
from wheat lands on which sheep had been allowed to graze, was partly
attributable to the stirring of the soil by their feet. Instruments intended
to imitate this action had been invented. His neighbor's stock had tres-
passed on his young grain. Redress had been asked and promised, but the
harvest proved that, instead of damage having been committed, benefit
had arisen from the trespass, and the question of redress was waived.
Adjourned.

HYPOXIS STELLATA . L. fil

HORTICULTURAL JOURiSTAL. 225

HEDGES.

The subject of hedge fences is, just now, the most important one before
us. Every year, as timber becomes scarcer, the necessity for some substi-
tute for posts and rails becomes more apparent. One of the most expensive
items in a farmer's accounts is his fencing bill ; none is better acquainted
with this fact than himself. That he does not immediately give live hedges
the preference, is simply because, with all his knowledge of the enormous
cost of the present system, he believes that, without a cost still greater,
live fences can never be made equal to the wooden ones in value for all the
purposes to which " post and rails" are put. I must confess that when I
look at live fences everywhere around me, there is good reason for this indif-
ference or dislike to the " nev»'-fangled" notion. In a circle of twenty miles
here, where there has been numerous attempts at hedging, I do not think I
could point to a single instance in which a genuine agriculturist would give it
the preference to a good post and rail fence. If there is such a specimen,
I would be glad to know where. Under such a state of things, there is little
justice in the continual abuse heaped on our farmers for their " old fogyism,"
in a tenacious adherence to an old system, which, with all its expense, they
know to be good. As a class, they are certainly not a scientific body of
men, but as keen calculators of questions of profit and loss, they will be
found, on a more intimate acquaintance, to be not so very far behind the age.
They are continually reminded of the hedges of Europe by newspaper
writers, and gentlemanly travellers, who hold up these affairs as models
worthy of our imitation. I am assured by those well acquainted with the
subject, that good hedges there are the exception and not the rule ; and
that these are kept up at an enormous annua.1 expense. I am further
assured, that much of what effectiveness European hedges do possess is
owing more to the " ditches " which are there used as legal boundaries to
property, as well as to divide " one field " from another, than to any great
merit in the hedge itself. These hedges, for the most part, are full of what
they call "gaps," or open spaces made by the breaking through of boys,
sportsmen, and " other " unruly cattle ; . and after every twice-yearly trim-
ming which they receive, a horse and man is employed in carting the clip-
pings to these open spaces, and which are there used to mend the " gaps "
with. These facts are generally known to our farmers, through their hired
men, though rarely or never explained to them through their agricultural
papers. Coupled with such poor examples of hedging as they witness from
15

226 THE FLORIST AND

their would-be instructors, no Tvonder this knowledge renders them suspi-
cious of change.

Notwithstanding all this, I think we can make very good Pledges, and,
when the science of the subject is understood, make them superior to any
thing Europe can produce. We have at least two articles with which to
make them, which are superior to any of the materials of which foreign
hedges are made. I allude to the Osage Orange and Honey Locust. The
former has proved an invaluable boon to the farmers of Illinois and the
prairie lands generally, where timber is very scarce ; and in England, just
now, its introduction there is exciting universal attention.

In starting to make a hedge of either of these, it must not be forgotten
that they are, both of them, naturally trees ; and as we want them to
become shrubs, when in the condition of a hedge, we have to resort to pecu-
liar treatment to make them alter their nature. The object is to check
their tree-growing, upright tendency, and to make them dwarf and very
bushy. Now one of the very worst modes of effecting this, is to give them
severe winter prunings, and little or no attention in the summer season.
Yet this is the universal practice with those whom I know to have tried
them. At the time of planting, the plants are cut to within six or nine
inch-es of the ground, and every succeeding winter, for three or four succes-
sive years, cut nearly back to where they sprouted from. They generally
get a shearing in August, after the grain is cut — not sooner ; a few weeds
are taken out once a year, and that is their course of treatment.

An experienced physiologist will at once perceive that this practice will
never make a good hedge out of subjects naturally trees ; but this is not so
apparent to the "uninitiated." To them it seems one of the most natural
things in the world, that to make anything bushy, all that is to be done is
to head it down. But this is only true under certain conditions.

The first object with hedge trees is to make them shrubs, which must be
done by some of the known principles of dwarfing. There are three recog-
nized modes of dwarfing trees, namely, ringing, root-pruning, and summer
pruning, — the two former being impracticable in such an extensive affair as
hedging, the last mode is the only available one to this purpose. Summer
pruning has a remarkable effect on trees, the exact reverse of pruning in
winter. If a tree is cut down immediately after the fall of the leaf, the next
season it pushes forth v/ith renewed vigor, determined, as it were, more than
ever to be the tree nature designed it. So great is this power given to
it by winter pruning, that if a few successive years of this system were
persevered in, without any counteracting influence from summer pruning,

HORTICULTUKAL JOURNAL. 227

what few side branches the stump had made would be entirely destroyed,
and nothing would remain but a dense mass of erect, strong-growing shoots.
On the other hand, cutting oif the shoots of trees immediately after they
have put forth in the spring, so weakens them, that in a few years the trees
would die outright.

It is obvious, that to make a good live fence out of trees — that is, to make
them become good shrubs, with an uniform growth both at the sides and at
the top — some discrimination is necessary in the matter of pruning. The
strong growing central shoots only should, be cut oif in summer, and this,
too, before it had completed its season's growth ; the sides should be
encouraged to make the strongest growth possible ; which is to be attained
by pruning in the winter, and in the winter only.

If these principles were duly recognized, live hedges would cost but half
the expense they now do ; because, though they would have to be gone over
twice a year, they would in fact receive but one complete pruning.

I conceive that in offering these remarks in your journal", I shall be ren-
dering a service to agriculture, by bringing the subject before the thinking
portion of the community, from whom the most substantial knowledge is
dispensed to our much abused tillers of the soil.

A Farmer's Friend.

For the Florist.

NAMES WITHOUT MERIT.

"Who shall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honorable
Without the stamp of merit ! Let none presume
To wear an undeserred dignity.

There is certainly much gratification afforded to the lover of Natural
Science to behold objects new and rare. In the hot house or nursery, are
generally seen the beautiful products of other climes, that otherwise never
might have met our view ; most of them worthy of all the care and expense
bestowed upon them. But there is a mania so pi-^valent for something new,
or far-fetched, that it is often made ridiculously manifest, and plants sought
after with avidity, that have no more claim upon our admiration, than some
of the most common weeds.

It is often with a certain class of amateur gardeners as with poulterers :

228 THE FLORIST AND

they occasionally get the " Shanghai Fever." A gentleman of my acquaint-
ance sowed a large patch last spring, in his newly opened nursery, with
what he termed the " Gold of Pleasure," Camelina sativa. Being informed
that it was nothing else than the Wild Flax, (Der Leindotter of the Ger-
mans,) his golden dreams of pleasurable emotions subsided.

This introduced foreigner, an annual cruciferous plant, has become one
of the most hateful weeds our farmers in this vicinity are pestered with
among their grain crops. The seeds are oily, and survive the severest
winters, and have taken a hold upon the soil to such an extent as to be a
serious nuisance.*

Names are often specious baits given to entrap the unwary; per example,
" the Gold of Pleasure," " the Tree of Heaven." This latter, the Ailanthus
glandulosa, more appropriately named Cacodendron, (evil or pernicious
tree,) by an eminent botanist, was introduced some thirty years ago as an
ornamental shade tree.

The tree, in itself, is well enough to look upon, but has proved objection-
able, for several reasons. The disagreeable odor emitted from the numerous
sterile flowers, the tendency to multiply suckers from the roots, the winged
or samaroid fruit, taking root wherever it finds a lodgment adapted to its
development: in short, to associate its odor, (redolent with anything else
but the air of heaven,) and its puff name and manner of introduction,
makes one feel like passing the sentence upon it, " cut it down ; why cum-
bereth it the ground?" As it may be new to most of your readers, permit
me to give the substance of an article in the September number of Godey's
Lady's Book for 1855, entitled " Ornamental Trees — The Modern Upas."
It appears the tree was originally imported to supply the tannic acid,
(which is abundant in the genus Rhus,) as a material used in tanning
morocco leather, our native species, especially the Rhus glabra, or common
sumach, was found to be equally good, if not superior to that of the China
sumach.

Thus the article became a dead stock on the hands of the importer; and
had the stalks been dead in the nursery, instead of overrunning it like the
"Canada Thistle," we would be ignorant of it in this section of the country,

* For the benefit of some of your readers, it may be -well to append the means adopted by
H. Jones Brooke, Esq., of Delaware county, Pa., for getting rid of the camelina, which, being
contemporaneous with the crops, and mingled with them, seemed a hopeless task. The plan
of this practical and intelligent observer was, to keep the ground ploughed or stirred, for a
year or two, so often as to prevent the ripening of new seeds, and io promote the vegetation of
all the old ones in the soil. This plan resulted in complete success, and should be followed
by those pestered with this nuisance in their wheat fields.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 229

no doubt. But here was a dilemma — to pay one hundred dollars for having
them removed, or Earnum-like, give the tree a puff direct — extolling it
under the grandiloquent name, " Tree of Heaven." The latter proved the
more profitable plan, as it speedily realized the snug sum of five thousand
dollars. As to the honesty of such a course, I have nothing to say; such is
the order of the day, let those learn who pay.*

J. Stauffer,

Mount Joy, Pa.

For the Florist.

ON THE CULTIVATION OF CERTAIN GREEN AND HOTHOUSE
PLANTS, AS GARDEN ORNAMENTS IN SUMMER.

BY M. BRYNER.

In northern Ohio, especially on the shores of Lake Erie, the vicissitudes
of heat and cold, and moisture and dryness are so great, that the cultiva-
tion of many of the most showy and valuable annual flowers is attended
with great difficulty. Very few of the fine Californian plants ever here
attain any degree of perfection. Experience, however, has demonstrated
that many species which are usually represented as tender, bear our
extremes of climate during summer, and succeed well in our garden
borders. The list of such plants is somewhat limited ; yet, it is believed,
could be considerably extended.

A person in this vicinity introduces into his borders the Erythrina
Crista-Galli and Canna Indica, at the period when he sets out his Dahlias,
Geraniums, Lantanas, Justicias, Bouvardias, Heliotropes, Verbenas, &c.
Most of the foregoing species require a green house for preservation during
winter; yet the Erythrina and Canna have been preserved for several years
among Dahlia roots, in a box of dry earth, placed in a warm room. Under
this course of management, there seems to be no more difficulty attendant
upon the introduction of these plants into our gardens, than in the cultiva-
tion of the Dahlia ; and it is believed that they may be made to supply the
place of many insignificant and comparatively valueless annuals. The

* Not long since, a travelling seed vender, more cute than honest, sold a neighboring
lady the Sem. Stramonium, (seeds of Datura Stramonium, or Jamestown (Jimson) weed), for
a new kind of cabbage seed. It was sown in a box, but its wonderful development made
it necessary to remove it from the window, or have the window removed by the growth of
the plant.

230 THE FLORIST AND

Canna requires no peculiarities of cultivation. The Erythrina should be
placed in a deep, rich, rather moist and shaded soil, protected by a layer
of decayed leaves two inches in depth.
North Ridgeville, 0., Aug. 6th, 1855.

NOTICE OF SOME NEW PLANTS, &c.

BY J. P. KIRTLAND.

From the seeds of the Pharhitis limbata and Whitlavia grandiflora, you
had the goodness to forward to me, I have succeeded in propagating some
fine plants of each. The former is now flowering very abundantly both in
open grounds and in the green house; it "however succeeds best under glass.
The latter also does best under similar jDrotection.

A year since, I received from Mr. R. D. Breckenridge, of Washington city,
two or three seeds of the Pavonia Comalensis, from New Mexico. From
them, I have reared a neat shrub, which is now conspicuous among my
green house plants, by its fine pink flowers. It belongs to the Malvaceae,
and has the prominent habits of that family.

Can you or your readers inform me whether it will bear the winters in
open air, as far north as this latitude ?

On the farm of Mr. Kelley, two miles west of Cleveland, stands a large
chestnut tree, [Castanea Americana,) which invariably commences bloom-
ing, on or before the first of June every year, and continues to be covered
with a succession of barren or staminate catkins, until vegetation is arrested
by frost, which usually happens about the 25th of October. In one or two
instances, during the last ten or fifteen years, a few abortive burrs have
formed, but never perfected fruit.

To the practical Botanist, such an occurrence may be familiar and
frequent, for aught I know ; but to me it is new.

In this vicinity, few plants are at this time attracting more attention
than a variegated creeper, (Ampelopsis quinquefolia.) A specimen obtained
from Mr. Heaver, of Cincinnati, three years since, is now running on a
north western wall of my house. The beauty of the variegated leaves and
young wood, adapt it for arbors and walls.

I suppose^it must be a seedling from our indigenous vine ; but its history
I do not know.

East Rockport, 0., Aug. Qth, 1855.

HORTICULTURAL JOURJs^AL. 231

THE CACTUS FAMILY.

(Continued from p. 217.)

A true fault, and a serious one, to accuse M. PfeiiFer of, is tlie brevity
of the descriptions ^vhich he horro'wed, ^Yord for word, from authors, and
which he should have remodelled, whenever he recognized a plant, so as to
make them on a par with the science. It is in fact impossible, by means of
the short descriptions which accompany each plant in his book, for an ama-
teur to determine the plants which he possesses, especially now, when the
number of Cacteae known at the time when M. Pfeiffer wrote has almost
doubled. Too short and too little detailed descriptions, and this reproach
only bears upon M. Pfeiffer, of plants which in reality resemble each other
so much at the first view, that commonly unpractised eyes confound them,
have still another grave inconvenience, and one which it is hardly necessary
to mention, which is, that an author reading attentively the description of
another to determine a plant which he has under his eyes, and not being
able to recognize it, by reason of the inexactness of his predecessor, thinks
it, too often, undescribed, and makes a new species, although it may be the
same plant which his predecessor had in view. Well, this fact has been
repeated many times at Brussels, at Berlin, at Munich, at Paris, and at
other places. Hence it is that we have three or four names for a plant,
and a synonomy complicated and almost inextricable, inasmuch as that there
are few botanists or instructed amateurs who will or can devote to this
Penelopean work (so to call it) a sufficient time, and to undergo the expenses
of numerous journeys, and of long and wearisome consultations. For is it
not necessary in fact, to perfect this work, to go to consult the typical
plants described by authors, at Berlin, Vienna, Munich, Erfurth, Brussels,
Paris, London, &c. ?

Another fact much to be regretted, and which, more than any other
cause, has confused synonomy, is the numerous descriptions made by Ger-
man authors, from plants recently arrived from America, but which were
dead or dried up, or from young plants grown from seeds in their green-
houses, which were Aveak, anomalous, and which generally had nothing in
common with the original plants procured from the mother country.

These latter, in their turn described by other writers, who could not
recognize them in the characteristic phrases of their successors, have pub-

232 THE FLOEIST AND

lished them as new, and considered them as such, until a happy chance
proved the error. For the establishment of what we have above stated,
we can mention many proofs.

And very often, besides, these abbreviated descriptions were accompanied
by plates still less satisfactory. But what, however, shall we say of the
plants described by the older authors, Hermann, Plumier, Hernandez, Dil-
len, &c. ? Most of them are at this time unrecognizable I

Be it as it may, the appearance of M. Pfeiffer's book, notwithstanding
its defects, (which were those of circumstances rather than his own,) has
been a real service rendered to science and to horticulture. The author
has had the merit of uniting in one work all the species known until his
time, and of grouping them according to the analogies of form and affinities
with a skill which often does him honor.

In 1839, a year after the publication of our twelfth number, in which we
proposed a classification of the Cacteae, there appeared a little work,* a
rather remarkable one, by M. F. A. Guill. Miquel, Professor of Botany in
the Institute of Rotterdam. The author proposes in it a new generic dis-
position of this family, under an entirely new point of view, containing
views and deductions often ingenious. He admits two large sections — the
tubular Cacti, [Cacteae tuhulosae,)f and the rotating Cacti, Cacteae rotatse;
nine genera, six in the first section ; Cactus (sub genera, Melocactus,
Mammillaria ;) Eeliinocaetus, (sub genus, Astrophytum ;) Echinopsis,
Ceretfs, (sub genera, Ceplialophorus, JEicceretis ;) Phylloeercus, Epiphyllum.
Three in the second: Mariota, sub genera, Rhipsalis, Lepismium Mar iota ;)
Opuntia, Perestria.

As we have before said, the nature of our work is not scientific ; therefore
we do not examine the work of M. Miquel in this point of view, contenting
ourselves with stating the result to our readers, and in praising the arrange-
ment by which we ourselves^ will profit.

Two years afterwards (1841 — 42) the Prince de Salm sent out, under the
title of Cacteae in Jiorto PycJcensis cultae, the catalogue of the species of
Cacti found in his garden. Under this modest title he published a true
generic and specific classification, which we must not pass by in silence.

* Genera Cacteaium descripfa et ordinata, etc. Roteroclami apud. Hd. Boedekeb.
1839.

f We, who prefer greatly the exact bearing of words, would have said, Cactees txibuflores,
Caeties rotatefloits.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 233

Thus the author divides at first the genera which he admits into seven
tribes, (almost as many as of genera,) and redivides them thus :

Tribe I. — Melocactoideae.
Melocactus. Anhaloniura. Mammillaria.

Tribe II. — Echinocactoideae.
Echinocactus.

Tribe III. — Cereastreae.
Echinopsis. Pilocereus. Cereus.

Tribe IV. — Phyllanthoideae.
Phyllocactus. Epiphyllum.

Tribe V. — Rhipsalidae.
Rhipsalis. Lepismium.

Tribe VI. — Opuntiacbae.
Opuntia.

Tribe VII. — Pereskiaceae.
Pereskia.

INDIAN SUBSTITUTES FOR RUSSIAN HEMP.

The war between Russia and the Western States has caused some incon-
venience, especially to gardeners, by the stoppage of the supply of bast
mats ; the English are now looking to their Indian colonies for fibres to
replace the Russian hemp and bast. We make some extracts from a review
in the July number of the Edinburgh Review, of Dr. Royle's work on the
subject.

The plantain or banana tribe deserve a distinguished place among the
yielders of fibre. Sometimes improperly spoken of as trees, they are only
large herbaceous plants, of which the stem is formed by the foot-stalks of
the leaves, which successively ensheath or wrap round each other. These
sheathing foot-stalks, and therefore the entire stem of the plant, except the
white and sprouting core, abound in fibre. From some varieties of plantain,
and in some parts of the world, this fibre is already largely extracted as an
article of commerce. The Manilla hemp, already well known as a sub-
stitute for the true hemp, is the produce of a banana, the Musa textilis.
This variety of fibre has attracted much attention, from the beauty of its
appearance, its durability, its power of resisting great strains, and also
because it is lighter and cheaper than Russian hemp. The rigging of many

234 THE FLORIST AND

vessels, especially of American build, has been made of Manilla hemp, and
the cordage of this material, when worn out, has the advantage of being
convertible into an excellent kind of paper.

The banana which yields the Manilla fibre is a native of the Philippine
Islands, where it grows wild in natural groves which are considered as
private property, and is also extensively cultivated. The outer layers of
fibres contained in the stem are coarser in quality. The inner layers are
of various degrees of fineness and are woven into cloth, which forms the
universal wearing apparel of the country. Some of this cloth is so fine,
that a garment made of it " may be enclosed in the hollow of the hand."
Nearly all the other known species of plantain or banana also abound in
fibre. In India the fibre of the common plantain [Musa sapientum) is
separated and prepared by the natives of Dacca, and numerous experiments
have been made both in the East and in the West Indies, with the view of
preparing it of good quality and at a cheap rate. Various samples from
different localities were sent to the Great Exhibition, and it was stated that,
besides yielding the usual crop of fruit, the banana stems, hitherto allowed
to rot on the ground, would yield upwards of six hundred pounds of fibre per
imperial acre. It was added on the part of the exhibitors from Demarara,
that if a remunerative price, some nine or ten pounds a ton, could be
obtained for this fibre, a new branch of industry would be opened up to the
colonists." With a view both to our home wants, therefore, and to our colo-
nial prosperity, it is desirable that the preparation and use of these plantain
fibres should be encouraged. In 1854, average qualities of Manilla hemp
brought from ^44 to £50 a ton ; and in 1854, as much as <£70 to <£76.
And although from other localities, and from other species or varieties of
the plant, fibres of equal strength and value may not be obtained, yet there
is a wide enough margin to allow of a considerable reduction in the price of
that which may be made in our own colonies, and yet leave a remunerative
return to the colonial grower.

The lime, or linden tree, [Tilia Europea^) is known to us chiefly for its
elegant appearance and its sweet-scented flowers, and is planted for orna-
mental purposes. In the north of Europe, in Sweden, and especially in
Russia, where it abounds in the natural forests, it is esteemed for its fibrous
bark, and yields the raw material for an important manufacture.

" When steeped in water this bark separates into thin layers, which are
employed for making a coarse kind of rope, for making matted shoes,
much worn by the Russian peasantry, and also for making the mats which
are so largely exported from Russia, and which are so extensively used in

HOETICULTURAL JOURNAL. 235

this country f^r packing furniture, as well as for gardening purposes, and
for covering the floor. To every pair of shoes, from two to four young
linden stems, at least three years old, are requisite. The consumption,
therefore, is enormous, and the destruction of the linden tree in conse-
quence immense. For the better and larger kind of mats, trees of from
eight to sixteen years are cut down when full of sap, and the bark is imme-
diately separated both from the tree and the branches. When removed,
it is stretched on the ground to dry, two or three strips being laid one over
the other, and kept straight by being tied down to long poles. They are
employed for making ropes in some parts of England, and for well-ropes in
France. When required for use they are steeped in water, which causes
the cortical layers readily to separate from ^ach other. The best of these
layers are those which are in the interior, while the coarser layers are on
the outside.

" The manufacture of mats is nearly confined to Russia and to some
parts of Sweden. Trees of from six inches to one foot in diameter are
selected in the woods, and in the beginning of summer the bark is stripped
from the trees in lengths of from six feet to eight feet. These, after being
steeped in water, are separated into ribands or strands, which are hung up
in the shade, and in the course of the summer are manufactured into mats.
The fishermen of Sweden make fishing nets out of the fibres of the inner
bark." (pp. 233-4.)

The production of mats alone in Russia is estimated at fourteen millions
of pieces ; of which, in 1853, about six hundred and sixty thousand were
imported into England. At a shilling each, these mats were worth about
thirty thousand pounds. It will not be difficult to find a substitute for this
matting among the cheap products of India, should the supply from Russia
to any extent be stopped.

But we mention this home linden tree and its fibrous bark chiefly as an
illustration of the close connection in economical qualities which exists
between different plants even when they grow in far separate countries,
provided they belong to the same natural family. The linden tree (Tilia)
is the type of a large natural family, the Tiliacece, in every species belong-
ing to which family the economical botanist would expect to find more or
* less prominently developed some one or other of the distinctive products
of the lime tree of northern Europe. Accordingly, in the hotter countries
of Asia, the coarse matting fibre of the Russian lime tree changes into the
soft and silky fibre of the corchorus, called by the Malays China hemp, but
known in India and England by the name of Jute.

In the neighborhood of Aleppo, the traveller sees growing in the fields,
and occasionally served upon his table, a species of this genus Corchorus,
com^monly known as the Jew's mallow, or Olus Judaicum. It is the Cor-
cJiorus oUtorius of botanists, and is eaten as a pot-herb in Syria, in Arabia,

236 THE FLOEIST AND

and in Palestine. It is the plant mentioned by Job (xxx. 4,) as eaten in
his time bj the poor and outcast, such as the Jews are now even in their
own land : " Who eat up mallows by the bushes and juniper roots for their
meat."

Small and herbaceous in the dry soil of Syria, it grows to a height of
four or five feet in the north of India ; while in the hot moist climate of
Bengal, it attains to twelve or even fifteen feet. In India, the leaves and
tender shoots are partially cultivated as an article of food, and eaten both
hj Mussulmans and by Hindoos. But for its fibre also it is extensively
cultivated in the d^lta of Bangal, and is spun almost universally by the
native Hindoos. It is an annual plant, sown in April or May, and cut
down when in flower, from the end of July to the middle of September. It
is then steeped, as we do with flax, for eight or ten days, when the flbre is
stripped off and washed. The produce of marketable fibre varies from four
hundred to 'Seven hundred pounds an acre. The best qualities are worth in
in this country from £16 to ,£17 a ton.

The culture of this plant in the delta of Bengal is far more extensive
than that of any other from which a useful fibre is obtained. Its easy
culture, rapid growth, and comparatively large produce present advantages
not to be overlooked by the economical and eminently practical natives
of Bengal.

" The great trade and principal employment of Jute is for the manufac-
ture of gunnychuts or chuttees ; that is, lengths suitable for making cotton
or sugar bags. This industry forms the grand domestic manufacture of all
the populous eastern districts of Lower Bengal. It pervades all classes,
and penetrates into every household. Men, women, and children find occu-
pation therein. Boatmen, in their spare moments, husbandmen, palankeen-
carriers, and domestic servants — everybody, in fact, being Hindoos — for
Mussulmans spin cotton only — pass their leisure moments, distaff in hand,
spinning gunny twist. Its preparation, together with the weaving into
lengths, forms the never-failing resource of that most humble, patient, and
despised of created beings, the Hindoo widow, saved by law from the pile,
but condemned by opinion and custom for the remainder of her days lite-»
rally to sackcloth and ashes, and the lowest domestic drudgery in the very
household where once, perhaps, her will was law. This manufacture spares
her from being a charge on her family ; she can always earn her bread.
Amongst these causes will be discerned the very low prices at which
Gunny manufactures are produced in Bengal, and which have attracted
the demand of the whole commercial world. There is, perhaps, no other
article so universally diffused over the globe as the Indian gunny bag. All
the finer ami long-stapled Jute is reserved for the export trade, in which it
bears a comparatively high price. The short staple serves for the local
manufactures, and it may be remarked, that a given weight of gunny

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 237

bags may be purchased at about the same price as a similar weight of
the raw material, leaving no apparent margin for spinning and weaving."
(p. 249.)

Jute is a remarkably beautiful fibre — soft, silk}^, and easily spun ; and if
to its other advantages are added those of strength and durability, it would
probably supersede all other fibrous materials. But it is as rapid in its
decay as in its growth, and is, in reality, the most perishable of fibres.
From the period of its first production in the clean state, it slowly, and of
its own accord, changes in color, losing the beautiful pearly white which at
first distinguishes it, and assuming successive shades of fawn color and brown.
At the same time, its strength proportionately diminishes. Circumstances
hasten or retard this decay, and moisture is particularly injurious to it.
High-pressure steam almost melts it away, so that when sail-cloth adul-
terated with jute is submitted to high-pressure steam (of only thirty pound
pressure) for four hours, mere washing afterwards removes the jute. It is
believed that an improvement in the process of setting would increase both
its strength and durability ; but it is very doubtful if it can ever be ren-
dered equal in these respects to either hemp or flax.

The extent of the foreign traffic which has already been established in
this fibre, notwithstanding its imperfections, may be judged of from the
fact, that in the years 1850 and 1851 the quantity of jute exported from
Calcutta alone was valued at two millions of rupees, or ^200,000, and the
jute or gunny cloth at an equal sum ; and that it has already obtained a
considerable place among the raw materials employed in our British manu-
factories, may be inferred from the fact, that fifteen thousand tons a year
are worked up in the town of Dundee alone.

YASES AND YASE PLANTS.

The introduction of vases, tazzas, baskets, kc, either of worked stone or
the various imitations of it, have now so general an introduction into garden
scenery ; more especially into those laid out in the geometric style, that a
few words on the positions they should occupy, and the plants most suit-
able for placing in them, may not perhaps be unacceptable to your readers.

In gardens designed to form an architectural adjunct to the mansion, and
which should therefore be carried out agreeably with the order which charac-
terizes the principal building, vases, kc, will form a considerable feature,

238 THE FLORIST AND

and are indispensable to relieve the sameness of long lines of low walls and
balustrading, and when in due proportion to the size of the pedestals on
which they are placed, and filled with suitable plants, form elegant objects,
in addition to breaking up horizontal lines of masonry.

In all architectural gardens either in connection with the mansion, or
assuming that character when detached, vases and their accompaniments
are appropriate embellishments, both for surmounting pedestals on low walls
and for introducing into the component parts of the design, where they may
be arranged either for centres or to occupy subordinate positions in the
compartments devoted to flowering plants. Neither do we know of any-
thing which conveys so much of the truly ornate as vases, when placed at
intervals on each side the long gravel or grass walks prevalent in this style
of gardening. In all cases the vases should be large enough to hold suf-
ficient soil to keep the plants in health ; and the pedestals on which they
are mounted should be strictly in keeping with the character of the vase.
We prefer vases rather large than the reverse, for we must enter our pro-
test against the miserable dished-up plants which are often seen struggling
for existence, for want of water and earth to grow in.

But it is not solely for the terrace or formal garden that vases are appro-
priate ; there are many situations in scenery purely English (or in the
natural style) where vases may be introduced with the happiest eifect ; for
instance, at the junction of gravel walks, or where these latter are com-
pelled to be terminated abruptly, a vase or seat affords a suitable excuse.
The angles formed by the sudden sweep of a walk, and corners not other-
wise filled up and backed by masses of planting are positions which just
occur to me, as affording sites for vases in natural scenery where their intro-
duction will not offend the eye of taste. On the contrary, they should
never be placed in open j)arts of the lawn, where their isolation from archi-
tectural accompaniments would be manifest, and where, besides, masonry in
any form would interfere with repose and hreadth, both essential features
in this style of gardening. It follows, then, that in natural scenery, either
real or imitated, vases should be placed in immediate connection with gravel
walks, which will form a kind of base for them, or at no great distance there-
from ; or only where their employment as objects to fill up otherwise vacant
places, affords a reason for deviating from the general rule ; and on no
account should they be placed as single objects on lawns unconnected
either with masonry or walks.

Having given my ideas on situation, allow me to point out what I con-
sider the most suitable plants for filling them. On this point much mis-

HORTICULTUEAL JOURNAL. 239

conception exists, and I know gardeners are often compelled to fill vases,
&c., with plants by no means* the most eligible for the purpose ; but as
custom has made it the law, I merely notice it for the purpose of pointing
out what I consider would be an improvement on the prevailing practice of
merely filling them with Scarlet Geraniums, and which, I admit, produce a
blaze of bloom, but which in point of grace and elegance must yield to
many others.

Considering a vase, when tastefully planted, as one of the most graceful
and classic objects in the flower garden, we should select such plants which,
from their habit of growth, will harmonize best with the situation they are
to fill. Nor does it require very expensive plants to create such a beau-
tiful combination of form, (if not of color,) having seen a vase filled with
common British Ferns produce a most charming effect ; and those who
grow exotic Ferns will readily perceive what elegant groups they would
make, if transferred to a vase. But we must try and see if there is nothing
else that will answer our purpose. First, there is a plant which myself and
others grow for this purpose, but which nevertheless is not commonly seen, —
Agapanthus umbellatus, — the blue African Lily, and its allies. Good plants
of these transferred to vases in May, and supplied well with water (for the
plant is a sub-aquatic,) form fine objects. Their sword-like leaves bend
gracefully over the rim of the vase, and, crowned with an umbel of bright
blue flowers, render them as conspicuous as they are graceful. In sheltered
situations, what forms a more beautiful object than a vase filled with the
common Egyptian Arum — Calla gethiopica ? but these will not bear an
exposed situation, and the plants must be strong before turning them out.
Next we have tried Tritonia aurea, and certainly this is a beautiful plant
for the purpose ; it requires putting in thick, but in the autumn its bright
orange-colored flowers and slender leaves make it a very desirable plant for
our purpose. Phormium tenax, New Zealand Flax, is another suitable plant
for its foliage, as are some of the Yuccas. As regards these latter, the best
plan is to select those showing bloom, when they are really fine objects.
There are many other sword-leaved plants, including Gladioluses and Irises,
well adapted for our purpose ; nor should we forget the Acanthus, for its
classic association, which, to those who may wish to make the trial, will
suggest themselves as eligible ; and I shall be glad to hear that these hints,
loosely thrown together, have induced some of your readers to give them
a trial. I may perhaps trouble you again on this subject, but shall now
conclude by naming a few creeping plants adapted for planting round the
principal ; these will creep over the rim, and may then be left either to

240 THE FLORIST AND

grow in their own way, or be trained so as to form festoons round the base.
Lophospermums, two or three kinds, Maurandyas, blue, red, and white,
Tropa3olum pentaphyllum and speciosum, Calystegia pubescens, Lysimachia
nummularia, white (Loose-strife), Campanula fragilis ; Lobelias Erinus and
unidentata, and some others, although they do not grow so tall as the
former, are useful for small vases. F. — Lond, Florist.

ACHIMINES LONGIFLORA, AS A PLANT FOE BEDDING.

It is quite within the range of possibility, to suppose that many plants
usually termed hot-house plants, in other words, those natives of tropical
climes, may be found highly useful for decorating the flower garden during
summer. At any rate, it is a subject quite worthy the attention of all
engaged in horticultural pursuits, from the dissimilarity there is between
those usually grown, and any of the plants now under notice. It would be
introducing a new feature into our pleasure grounds, especially if some of
the large leaved plants were here and there introduced, — as the banana, for
example, which is known to grow thrifty during the summer months, and
the roots of which may be preserved, doubtless, in a common green-house
during winter, or even perhaps in a dry cellar.

However this may be, from an experiment on a small scale the present
season, we are quite sanguine of success with the Long Flowered AcMmines,
and perhaps there are others would do equally well on trial. Although the
bulbs were still dormant when put out, they have nevertheless been in flower
some two weeks now, (Aug. 24th,) which makes it probable that if started
previously in a hot-bed, they would be in flower soon after midsummer.

They are exceeding dwarf, and have a very pretty eflect. It strikes us,
such plants would grow and do well amongst an artificial rockery, where the
heavy rains would not be so likely to spatter the foliage with dirt, as it does
in ordinary borders.

The G-esnera Zehriana might also be planted, and which would form
respectable sized leaves, during summer, of the most beautiful velvety tex-
ture. Ail this tribe of plants, having scaly tubers, are easily kept through
the winter, and where there are any grown in pots, there is always abun-
dance for planting for this purpose.

Edgar Sandees.

Albany, N. Y.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 241

ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE GENUS IXORA.

Eew plants present, even in the hot-house, a more magnificent appear-
ance than does the family, or at least a portion of that now under notice,
when under first rate treatment. As an exhibition plant, it stands out in
bold character, and any one who neglects to prepare his Ixoras, loses one
of his best and most striking objects. The huge proportions of the most
perfect culture, to which they are grown and shown in England, can only
be done where abundance of room can at all times be given, and a tempera-
ture not over 55° given it in the early winter months.

With us, in our ordinary stoves, it is more inclined to be perpetually in
flower, which prevents that concentration of strength at a particular season,
so necessary to insure a dense mass of bloom. Where the main feature con-
sists in keeping up a uniform showy house, this will hardly be recognized
as an evil, but if the contrary is the case, and the plant or plants are
required for exhibition, a season of rest is indispensable during the first
winter months.

Not the least interesting feature is, that some of the kinds, especially
javanica, will flower extremely small if the cuttings are taken at the right
time, so much so, that a three-inch pot may have a flower three times as
large as the plant itself. This quality, it will be readily recognized, is of
great importance for decorative purposes, as a half dozen such plants scat-
tered about, give a very eflective appearance. All that is necessary, is to
take off the cuttings from pretty well ripened wood, or just about the time
they begin to show their flower bud.

It is hardly necessary to say the Ixoras are a compact, evergreen shrub,
"with bright, shining, deep-green leaves, and dense heads of flowers. The
best are I. coccinia, I. javanica and crocata. They are principally natives
of the East Indies and China.

PROPAGATION AND CULTURE.

Cuttings strike readily in sand, in the stove, under a bell-glass or small
frame, any time during the summer. If wood is plenty, put in a good large
cutting, as it is sure to root, and will sooner form a nice plant. To secure
a specimen, after the cuttings are potted ofi" and left a little while to get
established, cut ofi" the top to two or three eyes. In summer, the best place
to grow them is a frame or pit, with a foot or two of dung as fermenting
material, in the early part of the season ; plunge the pots to the rim, about
one foot from the glass. Give them one or two good shifts, previous to
midsummer, stop the growth, if free, and keep the atmosphere as moist as
16

242 THE FLORIST AND

possible. But little air will be necessary during the clay, if shaded, but on
all hot and still summer evenings, the glass should be taken oif entirely, for
three or four hours, which will be found to give a healthy appearance to the
plants.

Before the cold chills of autumn, the plants will have to be tak*en to the
stove, and except the flower is wanted, kept as cool as the house will allow,
till after the turn of the days. Now comes the time for preparing an extra
plant. In February give the plants a good cleaning, and plunge in a gentle
bottom heat, which will soon induce a fresh growth ; examine the roots, and
if well out around the outside of the ball, give a shift into two sizes larger
pot; the flowers will now soon show, and if kept in a growing atmosphere,
will be large and fine. When the flower is over, cut back to form a nice
bushy plant, and keep in a moist pit to make fresh growth.

Providing the plant is in good condition, and the pot well filled with roots,
it may have another shift, and by the following season, from one to two
dozen heads of flowers may be reasonably anticipated. All the training
required with these plants, is to occasionally peg down the shoots, when
young, or tie out when older, to allow an even uniform growth.

It is absolutely necessary to keep these plants entirely free from insects,
or no flowers worthy the name will ever be obtained ; green fly, mealy bug,
and scale, are all sure to find them, if the house contains them, especially
the latter. We find nothing more effectual than a washing with lime water,
precipitated, for the scale ; a thorough exterminating war with the mealy
bug ; and the well known remedy of tobacco fumes, for the green fly.

The pots should be well drained, and the soil as rough a turfy loam as
possible ; and the top soil of a wood, decayed leaves, or peat earth, equal
parts of the two, with a sixth of white sand and charcoal.

TiLGATE.

SUBSOIL PLOWING.

BY ANDREW m'fARLAND, M. D.

Among the additional means of nutrition which subsoil plowing opens, is
that of moisture in a season of drought. This process, to the crop of maize
in a New England latitude, is equal to a policy of insurance. Where this
crop falls short of yielding a fair return, in a great majority of instances
the failure "is due to insufficient moisture at that part of the season when the
kernel is filling. In the growth of this most important New England grain.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 243

tlie progress ■which the stalk makes during the period of midsummer, is
most important to the success of the crop. It is then that the process of
rooting is going on, which is commonly over before the ear begins to make
its appearance. If the subsoil remain unbroken, the roots from necessity
spread themselves over the surface, ceasing their extension before the period
when, if ever, the drought makes its appearance. If dry weather super-
venes during the month of August, when the growing ear is calling for most
nourishment, it has become too late for the roots to take a n'ew direction,
even if the state of the soil permitted it. Had the land been well subsoiled
the roots, during their most thrifty season, would have placed themselves at
such a depth as to have found moisture at all events. The stalk, thus pro-
tected, is never taken by surprise. Having assumed a downward direction,
the roots continue their descent so long as the urgent demand made by the
stalk and ear is continued.

The following observations on this subject, will confirm the above reason-
ing.

During .the present season (1852,) a piece of land of about eight acres, on
the farm of the N. H. Asylum for the Insane, composed of a light sandy
loam upon rather a firm subsoil, was, under the writer's direction, plowed
deeply with the subsoil plow and planted with Indian corn in the usual man-
ner, and with no extra manuring. The season was extremely dry, even at
the time of sowing, and much of the ground required re-planting in conse-
quence, before the blade made its appearance. Light rains about the mid-
dle of June, gave the crop its first start, after which with the exception of a
shower on the 28th of July, which hardly penetrated below the surface, no
rain fell till nearly the last of August. The season being unusually hot,
the drought was, consequently, very severe. The roots of the corn were
examined with some care from week to week. On the middle of July, they
were found to have reached the depth of a,bout eight inches, after which, to
the end of the month, they made hardly any progress. The dry weather
began to be severely felt in August, and it was remarked that during no
period did the roots elongate so rapidly as during the dryest and hottest
weather, reaching, before the harvest, to the depth of full eighteen inches.
During this time the leaves remained green, full, and uncurled, and the ear
filled with no interruption, while several fields in the vicinity, on the same
kind of soil, suffered severely — some being almost cut off.

3. Suhsoil plowing is an indispensable part of the system of tliorough
drainage.

I would here wish to impress on the reader the importance of the remarks

244 THE FLORIST AND

made in the earlier part of this essay, on the subject of the water-table.
To borrow the language of honest Walter Blith, already quoted, " I am
forced to use repetitions of some things, because of the suitablenesse of the
things to which they are applyed." It has been shown that deep drains,
pretty near each other, remove any excess of moisture which the soil con-
tains over and above the natural water of attraction to a point so low that
it is neither within reach of the heat of the surface to give rise to evapora-
tion, nor can it, by contact, chill the roots of plants in their downward
tendency.

The more porous the whole soil can be made between the drains, the
easier will water find its way into them. It cannot have escaped the atten-
tion of the observing farmer, that the subsoil, which he is justly anxious to
disturb by deep plowing, is merely adventitious — that is, of no natural exist-
ence save as it has been produced by shallow plowing. In such cases, it is
merely a stratum of earth rather more compact than the soil just above it,
and having a light and porous soil beneath it. In proof of this, it may be
stated that on subsoiled land, the roots of plants, which, previous to such
deep culture, would have been arrested just below the surface, are often
found reaching very much deeper than the plow itself has penetrated. Yet
this stratum of earth, thin though it may be, will sometimes hold water, as
it were on a shelf, which when broken up, allows it to settle into the drains
by its own gravity.

It is this principal which forms the close connection between draining and
subsoil plowing. Both processes we have seen, are ancient, yet, until they
were associated as a system, neither attracted a tithe of the attention which
we now bestow upon them, simply because as separate processes neither was
of any extraordinary value. We may show the close connection between
draining and subsoil plowing, perhaps, by a plain illustration.

Take a common kneading trough and fill it half full of closely packed
clay, and complete the entire filling above it with moist sand. Then, with
an auger or other boring instrument, perforate the whole by an aperture
extending both through the clay and the bottom of the trough, so that water,
poured on the sand over the opening, will run directly through. This is the
condition of a drained but not a subsoiled land. Now with a watering pot
sprinkle over the whole surface of the sand, at the top, several quarts of
water. It is plain that what falls nearly over the opening in the clay, will
pass out at the bottom, but the larger proportion remote from the opening,
will be held by the bed of clay. If, however, before the sprinkling with
water, you had, with a strong stick, broken up the clay at the bottom, a

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 245

much larger portion of the water would have been suffered to run through,
simply because you had, by stirring, destroyed the retaining medium. This
simple illustration, well considered, exhibits the principles of draining and
subsoil plowing as mutually dependent processes. If the hole through the
clay and the trough, (which represents the drain) had been omitted, it is
plain that all the stirring possible would have done no good, as it would only
have converted the clay into a cohesive mud, wholly unfitted for the purposes
of vegetation ; while the draining, without stirring the clay, would have left
a surplus of water in all parts of the trough, save in the immediate vicinity
of the aperture.

All the plowing in the world will never make a clay soil lose that charac-
teristic. The first rain afterwards, condenses it into a hardened mortar, in
which the action of the sun in drying causes fissures or cracks, which again
close upon the approach of wet weather. Under-drain it, and the falling
rain passes readily through these cracks, which gradually become filled with
vegetable nutriment. Commence thereupon, a judicious system of deep
plowing, when this soil, before so unpropitious, becomes loamy and friable,
and but a few years elapse before this bed of clay will have ceased to re-
proach the farmer with bad husbandry.

We have thus brought under notice the principles upon which this import-
ant branch of agriculture is to be conducted, and have glanced at their prac-
tical application, so far as is consistant with the limits of a mere Essay.
The inducements endeavored to be held out in the foregoing observations,
will, perhaps be met by the objection, that no lands designed for ordinary
crop will repay such expensive processes, considering the cheapness of agri-
cultural produce and the high price of labor. This doubtless would have
weight with those who consider the only end gained by farming to be its
pecuniary income. This class will find farming, in our stubborn soil, to be a
hard employment under the best of circumstances, and will more profitably
seek their coveted return from the virgin soil of the West. Those who pre-
fer to cling to the soil of New England for the sake of those advantages
seldom found in ncAver society, must accept as the alternative of expatria-
tion, a life of severer labor that their more circumscribed fields n^y continue
to yield a supply for man and for beast. The spur of necessity brought to
bear from the circumstances of a rugged soil and a growing population, is
beginning to be slightly felt, and is already urging us to the adoption of
those agricultural refinements brought to such perfection in the densely
populated parts of Europe. We may despair that our New England will

246 THE FLORIST AND

ever reach, that height of fertility, mourned by the poet in contemplating
the fading glories of the Old :

" When every rood of ground maintained its man ;"

but we are rapidly approaching, if we have not already reached the point,
where a thorough tillage is demanded to render our soil equal to the increas-
ing demands made upon it. — Trans. N. M. Ag. Soe.

HYPOXIS STELLA TA.

Mypoxidae. — Hexandria monogynia.

Char. Genbr. — Perigonum corollinum, tubo cum ovario connate, limbo
sexpartito piano persistente. Stamina 6, limbi laciniis mediante disco epi-
gyno inserta. Ovarium inferum triloculare. Ovula plurima, biseriata
amphitropa. Oapsula limbo emarcido coronata, trilocularis, evalvis. Semina
plurima, umbilico laterali, rostelliformi. DC. Prodrom. 1264.

Char. Specif. — PI. scapo unifloro, foliis oblongo-lineari-lanceolatis laxis
carinatis glabris breviore ; petalis basi maculatis, Linn, suppl. 134. Amaryllis
capensis, Linn.

This perennial Cape plant is, as may be seen by the description, by no
means new, our present species having been described by Linne. It is a
native of the Cape of Good Hope, and is hardy in our Southern States.

PITCHER PLANTS.

Where these plants are required to be grown to make fine specimens, they
must have plenty of pot room ; and the more vigorous the species, the larger
the pots that will be required. The soil for potting should consist of enur;I
parts of fibrous peat and sphagnum cut short, with a little sand, the Tvliole
intimately mixed together. Some persons are afraid to repot their Pitclier
Plants after they are once established ; but I never experienced ar^y injury
from doing so. The best time for potting is about the month of March. In
doing it, the*pots in' which they are should be broken, and the ball of roots
carefully put into the larger pot, the soil being filled in all round nearly
level with the top of the pot ; then over the soil put a little living sphagnum,

HORTICULTUEAL JOURNAL. 247

cut short and made level, so as to have a neat appearance. After this is
done, give them a good watering with a fine-rosed watering-pot, to settle
the soil. The pots, in all cases, must be well drained with broken pots-
herds.

They should be placed at the hottest end of a stove, or Orchid-house,
where a bank of moss can be made of the size required, in which to plunge
the pots up to their rims, and deep enough to allow two or three inches of
moss under the pots, to prevent them from drying. A few holes made
through the slab, to allow the hot air to pass upwards through the moss,
thereby to cause continual evaporation about the plants, will prove benefi-
cial. Particular attention must be paid to moisture. After they are re-
potted in March, they will require watering with a fine-rosed watering-pot,
and the moss in which they are plunged must be well saturated about twice
a week ; and the plants should be syringed overhead three or four times a
day. As the summer advances, and the sun acquires greater power, they
will require to be syringed oftener. When the temperature has risen under
the influence of solar heat, in May, June and July, perhaps to 80° or 85°,
they will require syringing a dozen times a day. The rule is, the stronger
the heat the oftener they will require syringing overhead. As the heat
declines, decrease the moisture by degrees. In winter, if the weather is
dull, syringe about once a day ; but if there is a little sun, twice or three
times ; and the moss in which they are plunged should be well saturated
about once a week. They must be shaded from the burning rays of the
sun. I would recommend to have the glass over them painted with a little
thin paint, to prevent them from burning, as they are very liable to get
injured in that way before the other plants in the same house require
shading.

Pitcher plants, if grown in perfection, like a hot, moist atmosphere.
In summer the temperature should vary from 75° to 80° by day, and at
night from 60° to 70°. It winter it should vary from 65° to 70° by day,
and at night from 55° to 60°. The sphagnum on the top of the pots
around the plants must be kept growing, and frequently clipped with a
pair of scissors ;" and the moss must be replaced when required, in order
to keep them always plunged up to the rim. They have been considered
rather difficult things to manage, but by following this treatment they will
be found to thrive, and will grow without diificulty. They are propagated
by cuttings. — Grard. Cliron. Alpha.

248 THE FLORIST AND

GRAFTING BEETS.

At tlie beginning of September, 1853, Dr. Allan Maclean, of Colchester,
an ingenious experimentalist and good physiologist, grafted a young plant
of the White Silesian Beet upon a root of Red Beet, and vice versa. At
the time of the experiment the plants were each about as thick as a straw.
A complete junction was effected. There was a slight contraction at the
line of junction, much like that formed by "chocking" a rocket-case;
above the line of contraction the plant was absolutely white, below it was
absolutely red. Not a trace of blending the two colors could be discovered.
By similar experiments on either vegetables or plants. Dr. Maclean had so
far assured himself of the perfect independence of scion and stock as to
acquire the belief that neither the coloring nor any specific characters of
one or the other would or could be altered by their union. The result of
the trial wholly confirmed that view, and demonstrated that the White Beet
adhered to the Red Beet by mere junction of cellular matter ; that of the
scion and stock holding together in the first instance, and each afterwards
produced its own coloring matter in its own new cells as they formed
superficially, the red cells adhering to the Avhite cells while in the nascent
state, but retaining each the peculiarity belonging to it, without any inter-
change of contents through the sides of the cells in contact.

This is entirely consistent with all that has been discovered by the
modern physiologists who have applied themselves to the study of the
nature of the individual cells of which plants consist. They have clearly
shown that each cell has its own special inherent of secretion ; as,
indeed, may be seen by any one who examines thin sections of variegated
leaves or other parts. It will then be seen that some cells are filled with a
red coloring matter, others with yellow, others with green. In other words,
one cell has the power of secreting red matter, another yellow, and so on.
The colors do not run together, but are contained each within the cell that
produces it ; why this is no one knows ; all that we are acquainted with is
the fact that in the cells of the Red Beet resides a power of forming red
matter, and in those of the White Silesian Beet that of forming yellow ;
and this peculiarity is not affected by the one growing to the other. Red-
forming cells produce their like, and yellow-forming theirs. Thus the limit
between the scion and its stock is unmistakably traceable, and notwith-
standing the combination of the two sorts in one, each perseveringly retains
that which is natural to it.

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 249

What is true of Beets is true of all other plants, and we shall endeavor
on an early day to apply to the practice of grafting, the unquestionable facts
above explained. — Crardener s Chronicle.

THE MUSIC OF INSECTS.

About midsummer, the majority of the singing birds have become silent ;
but as one voice after another drops away, a new host of musicians of a
different character take up the chorus, and their spinning melodies are
suggestive of the early and later harvest, as the voices of the birds are
associated with seed time and the season of flowers. In our climate the
voices of no species of insects are very loud ; but when their vast multitudes
are united in chorus, they may often be heard above the din and clatter of
a busy town. Nature is exhaustless in the means by which she may effect
the same end ; and birds, insects and reptiles are each provided with different
but equally effective instruments for producing sounds. While birds and
quadrupeds make sounds by means of a jjipe connecting with their lungs,
the frogs are provided with a sort of bag-pipe, and the insects represent in
their respective species the harpist, the violinist and the drummer.

Thus there are several species that make sounds by the vibration of a
membrane attached to their sides or to the shoulders of their wings. Such
are most of the crickets and grasshoppers. Others of the same tribes rub
their legs against a vibrating appendage connected with their sides, in
humble imitation of the violin players : lastly, the drumming insects, like
the woodticks, are provided with a little hammer, which they strike against
the ceiling that forms their retreat. It seems to me that no man can be
indifferent to the sounds and music of insects. Even the buzzing of flies
about one's chamber or sitting room, has a soothing and tranquilizing
influence ; and may be regarded as one of those circumstances provided by
nature to relieve the world of that dead silence, which would otherwise
render this earth a dreary and melancholy abode. We are so formed, that
every sound in nature, except her notes of alarm, by habit becomes pleasing
and assimilated to music ; and in the silence of winter, the increased delight
afforded us by every remaining sound, is an evidence of this truth. The
tiny hammering of the woodtick in the ceiling, the buzzing of flies, and,
above all, the chirping of the cricket on the hearth, are among the poetical

250 THE FLORIST AND

sounds that are associated ■with winter days at home, as the voices of the
raven, the jay and the woodpecker are suggestive of winter in the woods.

The fly, the gnat, the beetle and the moth, though each utters a sound
that awakens many pleasing thoughts and images, are not to be ranked
among singing insects. The latter comprehend the locusts, the crickets
and the grasshoppers, that seem appointed by nature to take up their little
lyre and drum, after the birds have laid aside their more musical pipe and
flute. Though certain insects are supposed to make their sounds by means
of wind, their apparatus is placed outside of their bodies, and as they have
no lungs, the air is obtained by a peculiar inflation of their chests. Hence
the musical appendages of such insects are constructed on the principle of
the jewsharp, and the reeds in a reed organ. The grasshopper, in all ages,
has been noted for his musical propensities ; and is frequently represented
as playing on the harp, in certain ancient emblematical vignettes.

Each genus of these insects has a peculiar modulation of his notes. The
common green grasshopper, that during the months of August and September
fills the whole atmosphere with his din, is found chiefly in the lowland
meadows which are covered with the native grasses. This grasshopper
modulates his notes somewhat like the cackling of a hen, uttering several
chirps in rapid succession, and following them with a loud spinning sound,
that seems to be the conclusion of the strain. The strains are continued
incessantly, from the time when the sun is up high enough to dry the dews,
until dew-fall in the evening. These players are delighted with the clear
bright sunshine, and sing but very little on cloudy days, even when the air
is dry and warm.

There is another species of grasshopper with short wings, that makes a
kind of grating sound, by scraping his legs, that serve for bows, against
his sides, that represent, as it were, the strings of a viol. If we go into
the whortleberry pastures, we may hear still another species, that makes a
continued trilling, like the note of the hair-bird, and often continues the
sound half a minute or more, vrithout apparent rest. This insect reminds
me of the louder shrilling of those species which are heard in the Southern
States. The note of this grasshopper is not so agreeable as the notes of
those whose strains are more rapidly intermittent.

The American locusts make their peculiar sounds by inflating air into
their bodies, and expressing it between two small apertures, situated a little
below the base of their wings. These holes lead from a musical table, on
each side of which are five or six thin bars, connected by exquisitely fine
membranes. There is an insect of this tribe that is seldom heard until

HORTICULTURAL JOURN-AL. 251

midsummer, and tlien only during the middle of the warmest days. This
note is a pleasant remembrancer of sultry summer noondays, of languishing
heat and refreshing shade. It begins low and increases in loudness, until
it is almost deafening, and then gradually dies away into silence. The
most skilful musician could not perform a more delightful crescendo and
diminuendo. It has a peculiar vibratory sound, that seems to me highly
musical and delightful. The insect that produces this note is a grotesque
looking creature, resembling about equally a grasshopper and a humble
bee.

The black crickets and their familiar chirping are well known to every
body. It is an insect of this tribe that is celebrated in English romance as
the " cricket on the hearth." The American species do not so habitually
frequent our dwelling houses ; but they are all around our door steps, and
by the wayside, under every dry fence and every sandy hill. They chirp
night and day, and more or less in all kinds of weather. They commence
their songs many weeks before the grasshoppers, and continue them to a
later period in the autumn, not ceasing until the hard frosts have driven
them into their retreats, and silenced them by a torpid sleep.

The note of the katydid, which is a drumming sound, has less music in
it than that of some of the other insects I have described. In our literatm'o
no other species has become so widely celebrated, probably on account of
the fancied resemblance of his notes to the word katydid. To my ear an
assemblage of these little musicians, all engaged in uttering their peculiar
note, seems more like the hammering of a thousand little smiths in some
busy hamlet of insects. There is nothing melodious in these sounds, and
they are accordingly less suggestive of poetical thoughts than those of the
green nocturnal grasshopper, that is heard at the same hour and in similar
situations.

The nocturnal grasshoppers, sometimes called the August pipers, com-
mence their chirping about the second week in August. These are the true
nightingales of insects, and the tribe that seems to me most worthy of being
consecrated to poetry. There is a singular plaintiveness in their low and
monotonous notes, which is the charm of the late summer and early autumnal
evenings ; and there are but few persons who are not affected by these
sounds with a remarkable sensation of subdued but cheerful melancholy.
This effect does not seem to be the result of association so much as that of
some peculiar cadence or modulation of the sound.

I believe it has not been generally noticed, that the notes of these insects
are commonly in unison. These nocturnal pipers are the loudest singers of

252 THE FLORIST AND

our indigenous insects, and their notes are almost invariably an octave lower
than those of the black crickets. It is also "worthy of notice, that they
always vary their key-note, according to the temperature of the atmosphere,
within certain degrees. They are evidently dependent on a certain amount
of heat for their vivacity, and become more or less torpid as the temperature
of the atmosphere sinks below a certain point. Having noticed this fact at
different times, I was induced to make a series of exact observations a few
years since, by noticing the height of the mercury in Fahrenheit's ther-
mometer, and at the same time finding the key upon which these insects
were chirping. My observations were commenced early in August, and
carried through September,' which was in that year as hot as July. The
following is a general statement of the results.

When the temperature of the weather is indicated at 80° Fahrenheit,
these insects will be found singing invariably as high as the key of F natural.
When the mercury stands at 75°, they sing one tone lower or thereabouts,
and always change from a higher to a lower key, as the air grows colder,
and the contrary as it grows warmer. Their notes will be found to vary
about one tone with every five degrees of change in the weather, as marked
by the thermometer. I will add that I have never heard them singing on
a higher key than F, or on a lower key than G. The weather is seldom
warmer than 80° in the evening, and when it is colder than 60°, the insects
always sing out of tune and time, and some of them as low as G. A colder
temperature than this diminishes their vivacity, and silences a great many
of the performers ; but after they have become so torpid that the vibrations
of their wings would produce a sound lower than G, they become silent.

It may be further remarked that they hasten their time just in proportion
as they raise their key, and that they likewise sing both in better time and
better tune, in proportion to the warmth of the weather. When the mercury
stood at 80°, I was never able to detect a single insect performing out of
time or tune. The whole myriad choir were singing in perfect harmony;
their key being about F natural, and their time about three notes to a
second, which is very rapid. During this high temperature, the shriller
toned insects, as the diurnal grasshoppers and the black crickets, sing in
unison with the August pipers, varying their tone in the same manner with
the variations of temperature. But the diurnal insects do not keep time so
weH as those which are the particular subject of my observations.

When the niercury stands at about 70°, a few insects may be heard singing
out of tune. Their time is also ro.ore imperfect, and is equal to about two
notes to a second. When the weather is as cold as 60° — the average tern-

HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 253

perature of the evenings in August and September — the greater number will
be heard on the key of B fiat. Their time, however, in this state of the
weather, is very imperfect, and a great many will be heard singing out of
tune, some a tone or a semi-tone higher, and others as much lower than B
flat. I attribute this difference to the different degrees of warmth which
they may find, according as they are more or less protected from the external
air. If one, for example, be confined in a room in the house, when the outer
air is cool, the one confined will chirp several notes higher than any that
are singing out of doors. When the temperature is very warm, there is
probably more uniformity of heat in all places and situations, than when it
is cooler. Often, on a sudden change of tempera,ture from warm to cool,
some individuals that happen to be in a little snug retreat that still pre-
serves the early heat of the day, will sing more briskly and on a higher
key than others. When the weather is below 60°, all the insects sing very
feebly, without regard to time or tune ; those only that happen to be pro-
tected under the warm projection of a roof, or the trunk of a tree, chirping
on a higher key than the rest, and with more vivacity.

I have no doubt that with an accurate thermometer, and a perfectly tuned
instrument, the corresponding changes produced in the shrillness of the tones
of these little insects, by the changes in the temperature of the atmosphere,
might be marked with such a degree of accuracy, as to enable us to use
them within certain limits, as a musical thermometer. In my observations
I used a very ordinary thermometer to mark the weather, and a German
flute, which is an inaccurate instrument for such a purpose, to mark the
musical key of the insects. Some allowance, therefore, ought to be made
for any little incorrectness which a future observer may detect in these
results. I will venture to assert, however that the result of any future
experiments of this kind would not differ, materially, from that of the
following table : —

Height of Thermometer. Key-note of the Insects.

80° r natural, perfect time and tune.

75°, Eflat, " " "

70° D, " " «

65° C, imperfect time and tune.

60° B flat, " " "

55° A, key-note hardly to be detected, many out of time

and tune.

50° G, a few individuals only singing slowly and feebly.

Wilson Flagg, in Eovey's Mag.

254: THE FLORIST AND

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The vStated meeting of this Society was held in Concert Hall, Philadel-
phia, August 21st, 1855 — The President in the chair.

Premiums awarded on this occasion, were by the Committee on Plants
and Flowers — collection of twelve plants — for the best, to John Pollock,
gardener to James Dundas ; for the second best, to Thomas Robertson,
gardener to B. A. Fahnestock. Collection of six plants — for the best, to
J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert. Specimen 'plant — for the
best to John Pollock, gardener to James Dundas ; for the second best to
Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A. Fahnestoek, Indigenous display —
one dollar to Alexander Parker. New plants — a premium of five dollars to
Jerome Graff, gardener to C. Cope, for Stanhopea erispa and Phajus albus.
Basket — for the best to J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert ; for
the second Jaest, to Jerome Graff, gardener to Caleb Cope : of indigenous
flowers — for the best to Thomas Meehan. Bouquets — for the best pair to
Jerome Graff, gardener to C. Cope ; for the second best to J. J. Habermehl,
gardener to John Lambert. Special premiums of three dollars for a collec-
tion of German Asters, Fuchsia, cut Balsams, &c., two dollars for a large
Bouquet and cut German Asters, to H. A. Dreer.

By the Committee on Fruits — Grapes : — for the best three bunches of a
black variety, to Mark Hill, gardener to M. W. Baldwin : for the best of a
white variety, to John Riley, gardener at the Insane Asylum. Nectarines
— for the best the Downton, and for the second best, Elruge, to Wm Hamill,
gardener to C. Henry Fisher. Plums, for the best twenty-four specimens
six varieties, to John McLaughlin, gardener to I. B. Baxter : for the second
best to John Chambers, of Mount Holly, N. J. Peaches — for the best
twenty-four specimens, to Wm. Hamill, gardener to C. Henry Fisher.
Pears — for the best collection of twenty of three varieties, to John McLaugh-
lin, gardener to I. B, Baxter : for the second best to Mrs. Mackau. Apples

for the best collection thirty specimens three varieties, to John Chambers ;

for the second best to Saml. Noble, of Montgomery county. Special
premium of one dollar for a dish of very fine Washington Plums to A. C.
Michener. Specimens of the Orange and Tatooed Water Melons were
shown but not fully ripe.

By the Committee on Vegetables — Display — for the best by a market
o-ardener to A. L. Felton. And a special premium of two dollars for a display
to J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert.

Memiers elected — A. B. Justice, and John G. Craig.

HOETICULTURAL JOURNAL. 255

Objects exhibited — Plants — By John Pollock, gardener to James
Dundas — Allamanda aubletia, Stigmatopliyllum ciliatum, Clerodendron
Devonii, Achimenes longiflora alba., Vinca rosea, V. alba.. Begonia semper-
florens, B. parviflora, Angelonia Gardneriana, Pentas carnea, Adamia versi-
color, and Cupbea platycentra* Specimens — Allamanda nereifolia, and
Clerodendron Kaempferi.

By Thomas Robertson, gardener to B. A- Fahnestock, collection of
twelve — Allamanda cathartica, Clerodendum squamatum, Riisselia juncea,
Fuchsia Prince Arthur, Angelonia gardneriana Cryptolepis longiflora,
Achimenes grandiflora, Begonia xanthina, Cuphea platycentra, Pentas
carnea, Neirembergia grandiflora, and Mahernia Diana. Specimen — Cloro-
dendron Keempferi. Neiv plants — Vriesia splendens and Pandanus javani-
cus fol. var.

By J. J. Habermehl, gardener to J. Lambert — Collection of six — Plum-
bago Larpentse, Ixora rosea, Russelia juncea, Achimenes grandiflora,
Begonia alba, pots of German Asters, and cut plants of Balsams and
Celosias.

By Jerome Graff, gardener to C. Cope — JSfeiv plants — Stanhopea crispa
and Phajus albus ; Gongora atropurpurea, and Oncidium Harrisonii.

By Robert Buist — Cut specimen of Poinceana Gilesii, a beautiful half
hardy shrub, blooms from July to frost.

By Alexander Parker — A few indigenous plants.

By H. A. Dreer — Cut flowers of German Asters and Scabiosa.

Designs, Baskets and Bouquet?,. — By J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John
Lambert — Basket and a pair of hand Bouquets. By Jerome Graff, gardener
to C. Cope — a basket and two hand Bouquets. By H. A. Dreer — A table
design and pair of Bouquets. By James Kent, gardener to J. F. Knorr —
Bouquets, not in competition. By A. L. Felton — Bouquets. By Thomas
Meehan — Basket of native flowers.

Fruit — By Mark Hill, gardener to M. "W. Baldwin — Grapes, three
bunches Black Prince and three of White Frontignac.

By John Riley — Grapes — White Frontignac and Hamburg.

By Isaac B. Baxter — Plums — Royal Hative, Reine Claude, Apricot,
Schuylkill and Seedlings ; Pears — Bloodgood, Giffard, and Julienne, also
Washington, Bartlett, Golden B. of Bilboa, &c.

By Wm. Hamill, gardener to C. Henry Fisher — Nectarines the Downton,
Elruge, and another kind, and Peaches.

By John Chambers, of Mount Holly — Plums — eight varieties — Apples —

256 THE FLORIST AND

Red Juneating, Maiden's Blush, Summer Pearmain, and other varieties —
Pears — six or eight kinds.

Bj Mrs. Mackau — Pears and Plums, a number of varieties of each.

By Samuel Noble, of Montgomery county — Apples and Pears.

By Geo. W. Earle — Plums, Green Gages, Washington and blue magnum
bonum, and Julienne Pears.

By A. C. Michener — Plums, Washington very fine.

By Alexander Parker — Peaches and Plums.

By A. L. Felton — Isabella grapes, open culture.

By Henry Hay — Water Melons, orange and tatooed.

Vegetables — By A. L. Felton, a fine display.
By J. J. Habermehl, gardener to John Lambert, a small display.

THE YEAR BOOK OF AGRICULTURE.

Messrs. Childs & Peterson of this city, propose publishing under this title
an octavo volume, containing accounts of the improvements and progress in
Agriculture, and in the v^arious departments of Mechanics, Chemistry,"
Botany, &c., connected with that branch of industry.

It is proposed to issue the volume in October of each year. The Editor
is David A. Wells, M. A., Editor of the Year Book of Facts in Science and
Art. Particulars may be seen in the advertisement.

Mr. Robert Kilvington, formerly of Twentieth street, has removed his
garden and greenhouses to his new place on Locust street, between Mar-
garetta and Park streets, West Philadelphia. It is easy of access by the
West Philadelphia omnibuses. His collection of flowers is very fine at
present.

Messrs. Meehan & Saunders, of Germantown, have dissolved. Thomas
Meehan continues the nursery business at the same place.

Mr. Saunders continues the business of Landscape gardening in all its
branches.

We should be very glad to hear from our agents in the South and West
as early as possible. Also, from those of our subscribers who are not in
communication with any agent.

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